•'Vij'f"v;— V'-:V    •;• 

J  '.L  f   .'  -•    on  ft  .-  •"  ;•  •  !  'IL;  '  i 


PREFACE   TO   PART  I. 


THIS  book  is  an  outgrowth  of  practical  class-room 
work.  It  is  an  effort  to  strengthen  that  work  by  furnish- 
ing a  basis  for  pursuing  elocution  as  a  study.  This  it 
attempts  to  do  by  giving  some  definite  statement  of  the 
principles  that  govern  the  mental  processes  of  communi- 
cation. 

The  design  in  this  tieatment  is  so  to  present  the  sub- 
ject that  the  student  shall  have  a  definite  thing  to  do  each 
day;  shall  be  able  to  have  a  lesson  assigned,  to  prepare 
that  lesson,  and  to  bring  into  class  the  results  of  his  work 
upon  it,  as  definitely  as  in  any  other  study. 

Vocal  Expression  has  obvious  relations  with  psychol- 
ogy and  with  physiology.  Speech  occupies  the  meeting- 
grnvmd_jj£_Jhe  rental  an d_JJIg__phy&i r,a  1 .  The  laws  of 
thought  as  related  to  utterance  might  be  considered  a 
form  of  applied  psychology;  and  the  action  of  body  and 
voice  in  connection  with  the  highest  function  of  a  rational 
being,  communication  of  thought,  must  be  considered  one 
of  the  noblest  and  finest  departments  of  physical  activity. 
On  both  sides  its  connections,  when  fully  traced,  involve 
much  of  delicate  and  painstaking  research ;  yet  its  prac- 

iii 


IV  PREFACE. 

tical  nature  and  its  universal  application  make  many  ele- 
ments of  the  subject  appear  so  perfectly  obvious  and 
commonplace,  that  it  is  often  found  difficult  to  gain  for 
it  that  attention  which  its  merits  demand. 

The  physical  preparation  for  speech  brings  with  it 
advantages  so  apparent  that  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to 
designate  its  place  in  a  course  of  practical  training,  or 
invite  attention  to  its  aims  and  to  the  benefits  which 
it  confers.  Grace  of  action,  ptirity,  ease,  fullness  and 
variety  of  tone,' and  the  incidental  benefits  to  respiration, 
circulation,  and  general  physical  vigor,  —  all  these  have 
of  late  years  been  made  so  familiar  to  us,  and  are  so  pal- 
pably reasonable,  that  it  has  become  almost  needless  to 
press  their  claims. 

Not  quite  so  clear  or  tangible  are  the  place  and  claim, 
of  the  other  branch  of  the  elocutionary  art  —  the  analysis 
of  thought  through  tone.  /r*m~*~± 

The  expressional  analysis  here  undertaken  is  designed 
to  supplement  rhetorical  analysis,  forming  a  sort  of  cross- 
plowing  and  subsoiling  of  literary  and  rhetorical  study. 
As  it  regards  literature,  the  attention  is  here  given  to 
the  motive  rather  than  the  method,  to  processes  rather 
than  products. 

A  few  points  may  here  be  suggested  as  to  ways  in 
which  this  subject  may  be  made  a  genuine  study. 

First.  Principles  of  analysis  and  expression  must  be 
so  distinctly  and  fully  stated  and  so  thoroughly  illus- 
trated that  the  student  shall  have  firm  footing  as  he  pro- 


PREFACE.  V 

ceecls.  This  involves  careful  work  on  the  part  of  the 
teacher  in  presenting  each  new  point.  It  is  assumed 
that  the  teacher  is  an  intelligent  and  syniDathetic  reader, 
a  literary  interpreter,  though  lie  need  not  be  a  great 
vocal  artist.  His  chief  business  is  to  indoctrinate  his 
students  in  principles  of  interpretation  which  shall  give 
them  a  rational  basis  for  criticism.  No  "  rules  "  are  here 
imposed.  Principles  must  govern. 

Second.  When  the  principle  in  question  has  been 
reasonably  well  apprehended,  a  lesson  should  be  assigned 
that  will  test  the  student's  ability  to  apply  the  principle 
to  new  cases.  As  a  rule,  there  should  always  be  required 
written  translations  or  paraphrases,  which  shall  reveal 
the  logical  analysis  and  the  literary  or  artistic  interpre- 
tation. 'Mere  taste  or  feeling  must  not  be  accepted  as  a 
standard.  These  will  afterwards  come  to  assert  them- 
selves all  the  more  effectually  if  at  first  they  are  made 
amenable  to  reason.  In  this  stage,  therefore,  there  must 
necessarily  be  much  patient  toil  on  the  part  of  both 
teacher  and  student ;  for  even  to  those  well  trained  in 
general  principles  of  language  and  in  formal  rhetoric  this 
field  of  expressional  analysis  will  be  essentially  a  new 
one.  The  teacher  should  often  point  out,  and  should 
encourage  students  to  find,  relations  between  the  rhetoric 
of  the  voice  and  that  of  the  page.  It  will  often  be 
found  that  vocal  interpretation  is  more  exact  than  the 
forms  of  expression  and  interpretation  with  which  the 
student  has  previously  been  familiar.  The  new  point  of 


VI  PREFACE. 

view  will  often  put  things  in  a  different  light,  or  in  an- 
other perspective.  Principal  and  subordinate  may  seem 
to  change  places ;  inflection  and  grouping  will  be  found 
of  more  importance  than  punctuation ;  transition  and 
proposition  will  sometimes  supersede  paragraphing;  in- 
felicities of  diction,  especially  as  to  euphony  and  sen- 
tence-structure, will  occasionally  reveal  themselves,  even 
in  the  best  writings  that  have  not  been  tested  by  the 
ear ;  standards  of  taste  will  begin  to  change,  or  rather 
will  be  challenged  for  their  justification;  models  that 
have  been  accepted  as  faultless  by  an  unquestioning 
traditionalism  may  appear  less  glorious,  while  subtile 
beauties  may  be  discovered  in  fields  heretofore  over- 
looked. 

All  these  changes  require  time,  patience,  and  enthu- 
siasm. It  is  in  this  stage  of  the  study  that  its  rational 
basis  is  found,  and  its  vital  connection  with  literature  and 
philosophy  most  plainly  indicated. 

Some  minds  incline  to  analysis  more  than  to  synthesis ; 
others  are  impatient  of  explanations,  and  are  anxious  to 
realize  the  artistic  results  of  a  method.  We  must  be 
careful,  on  the  one  hand,  not  to  waste  time  by  need- 
less speculation,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  not  to  endanger 
all  our  future  work  by  hastily  laid  and  insufficient  foun- 
dations. 

Third.  After  the  principles  have  come  into  the  stu- 
dent's possession  by  this  process  of  independent  testing, 
they  must  be  corroborated,  modified,  and  vitalized  by 


abundant  practice.  Much  longer  passages  may  now  be 
assigned ;  lengthy  discussions  on  the  given  principles  have 
now  become  needless,  and  may  give  place  to  enlarged 
application. 

The  examples  in  Part  I.  are  designed  for  specific 
illustration  of  principles  in  direct  connection  with  the 
text;  those  in  Part  II.,  for  laboratory  material.  For 
theological  students  and  ministers,  however,  extra  mate- 
rial will  be  found  in  the  Biblical  references  appended 
to  most  of  the  chapters  in  Part  I.  Students  should  also 
find  and  make  many  examples. 

When  differences  of  judgment  occur  in  the  treat- 
ment of  passages,  they  can  often  be  settled,  as  far  as  it 
is  possible  to  settle  them,  by  taking  the  sense  of  the 
class.  The  teacher  must  always  be  ready  to  give  a 
prompt,  and  of  course  an  independent,  decision ;  but  it 
should  be  understood  that  his  word  is  a  "  ruling," 
rather  than  a  dictation  or  an  ex  cathedra  deliverance. 
It  is  never  designed  to  silence  the  pupil,  but  always  to 
enlighten  and  assist  him.  Independence  of  judgment 
on  the  part  of  the  student  must  by  all  means  be  en- 
couraged. Agreement  with  others,  even  with  the  best 
critics,  is  not  the  desideratum  for  the  student.  If  he 
does  not  learn  to  exercise  his  own  powers  of  insight 
and  judgment,  the  study  will  but  enslave  him  the  more 
to  arbitrary  standards.  No  discouragement  should  be 
felt  if  at  first  the  principles  seem  difficult  of  applica- 
tion, or  if  rulings  under  them  often  appear  inconsistent. 


yiii  PREFACE. 

Many  points  will  become  clear  by  repeated  exemplifica- 
tion. Caution  needs  to  be  used  not  to  allow  a  hasty 
judgment,  once  taken,  to  color  or  neutralize  rational 
considerations  that  may  afterward  be  adduced. 

It  may  be  objected  that,  if  there  can  be  no  demon- 
strated or  authoritative  rendering,  which  must  be  ac- 
cepted, there  is  no  positive  teaching.  The  ready  answer 
is,  that  in  all  work  which  seeks  to  cultivate  the  judg- 
ment, individuality  and  independence  must  be  sacredly 
respected.  Students  will  and  do  appreciate  this  method 
of  work  and  this  standard  of  criticism  ;  and,  if  carefully 
watched,  it  need  produce  no  laxness  in  the  class-room 
drill.  Extempore  recitations  will  not  often  be  attempted ; 
the  difference  between  a  guess  and  a  defensible  inde- 
pendent interpretation  soon  becomes  as  apparent  as  that 
between  an  improvised  and  a  prepared  translation  in 
any  other  language. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  teacher  will  have  prepared 
himself  on  each  lesson  as  he  would  in  any  similar  study. 
He  will  not,  however,  give  his  rulings  on  the  basis  of 
his  own  interpretation  alone,  but  will  be  prompt  in 
seeing  and  cordial  in  accepting  any  other  reasonable 
and  tenable  interpretation.  This  will  require,  on  the 
part  of  the  teacher,  a  fullness  of  knowledge  and  an 
alertness  of  attention  that  will  of  themselves  do  much 
to  impart  life  and  power  to  the  recitation. 

With  classes  well  prepared  in  rhetoric  and  in  an 
elementary  course  of  gesture  and  vocal  culture,  the 


PREFACE.  ix 

work  given  in  this  volume  may  be  quite  well  done  in 
twelve  to  fo.urteen  weeks  of  daily  work. 

The  best  place  for  this  study,  is,  perhaps,  in  the 
second  year  of  the  college  course.  It  is  also  well 
adapted  to  the  first  year  of  a  theological  course.  In 
the  latter  case  the  illustrative  material  will  be  more 
largely  drawn  from  the  Bible,  which  affords  the  richest 
and  most  varied  examples  of  literary  expression. 

It  will  be  found  that  a  review  of  these  principles 
at  a  later  point,  and  especially  in  connection  with  pri- 
vate lessons,  will  often  yield  to  the  individual  student 
even  more  of  suggestiveness  and  help  than  have  been 
found  in  the  term  of  study. 

While,  then,  it  is  not  for  a  moment  supposed  that 
this  analytic  study  of  expression  will  produce  the  artis- 
tic results  aimed  at  in  the  personal  criticism  and  the 
more  synthetic  method  of  private  lessons,  it  is  yet  be- 
lieved that  the  treatment  of  the  subject  herein  at- 
tempted may  secure  the  twofold  object  of  general 
discipline  and  immediate  practical  utility,  in  connection 
with  the  related  subjects  of  rhetoric  and  literature. 

It  is  not  to  be  thought  that  the  work  here  outlined 
must  be  wholly  theoretical.  The  fact  that  some  one  ele- 
ment of  expression  is  the  special  object  of  illustration 
in  any  given  lesson  makes  the  drill  only  the  more  in- 
tensive. It  is  especially  recommended  that  each  topic 
treated  in  the  text  be  thus  made  the  basis  of  practical 
drill  in  expression,  both  by  reading  and  by  declaiming 


x  PREFACE. 

or  reciting  short  extracts.  These  extracts  should  be 
taken  either  from  entire  articles  or  from  long  selections 
that  have  been  analyzed  by  the  class,  or  else  from  sources 
perfectly  familiar  to  all.  Otherwise  there  will  be  no  good 
basis  for  interpretation  or  for  criticism. 

For  those  who  desire  to  become  speakers  rather  than 
readers,  distinctively  oratorical  passages  should  largely  be 
chosen.  Extempore  speaking  also  should  accompany  each 
step. 

This  does  not  profess  to  be  a  special  treatise  on  vocal 
culture.  That  subject,  however,  has  not  been  neglected. 
The  Appendix  on  Vocal  Technique  is  thought  to  give 
as  minute  and  extended  directions  as  will  be  practical 
to  the  ordinary  non-professional  student.  These  exer- 
cises need,  of  course,  to  be  abundantly  illustrated,  and 
thoroughly  enforced  by  constant  and  protracted  drill. 
Most  of  the  passages  quoted  throughout  the  book,  in 
illustration  of  rhetorical  principles,  may  also  be  used  to 
enforce  the  elements  of  vocal  culture. 

Parts  of  the  chapter  on  Vocal  Technique  may  be 
studied  before  taking  up  the  work  as  a  whole,  in  order 
to  secure  a  better  basis  for  drill  in  voice  culture.  In 
that  case  it  should  be  carefully  reviewed  when  reached 
in  its  connection ;  and  the  parts  that  were  at  first  omitted 
should  now  be  thoroughly  studied,  that  the  student  may 
see  the  true  relations  between  the  physical  and  the  psy- 
chical. Vocal  culture  is  introduced  after  expressional 


PREFACE.  xi 

analysis,  in  the  systematic  treatment  of  expression,  for 
a  definite  reason.  It  is  believed  that  the  physical  side 
of  the  work  can  be  studied  most  profitably  after  the 
psychical. 

This  is  not  a  work  on  orthoepy.  The  elements  of  the 
language  are  supposed  to  have  been  mastered,  so  far  as 
a  student  in  college  needs  them;  and  for  the  use  of 
teachers  there  are  abundant  and  valuable  works  on  this 
subject. 

.  Gesture  is  not  fully  treated  here.  Others  have  devel- 
oped, and  are  developing,  that  department  of  the  work. 
Assuming  some  technical  practice  on  the  basis  of  other 
text-books,  or  of  instruction  accompanied  by  living  ex- 
ample, this  book  contents  itself  with  the  discussion  of 
Descriptive  Gesture  given  in  Part  II. 

On  some  points  fuller  explanations  have  been  given, 
and  additional  ideas  suggested  in  notes  appended  to  the 
chapters.  Some  of  these  may,  at  the  discretion  of  the 
teacher,  be  used  in  connection  with  the  main  text. 

In  the  preparation  of  such  a  work  many  sources  of 
help  and  inspiration  must  be  acknowledged.  The  author 
desires  to  make  special  mention  of  two  of  his  teachers : 
the  late  Madame  Seiler,  whose  personal  instruction  in  the 
singing  voice  has  been  of  the  greatest  assistance  in  formu- 
lating the  technique  of  speech;  and  Professor  S.  S. 
Curry,  Ph.D.,  of  the  School  of  Expression,  Boston,  whose 
class-room  expositions  of  the  Delsarte  philosophy  are  very 
helpful,  especially  in  applying  the  principles  of  panto. 


xii  PREFACE. 

mimic  training  to  rhetorical  delivery.  Mention  should 
also  be  made  of  Professor  G.  L.  Raymond's  work,  entitled 
The  Orator's  Manual. 

The  chief  inspiration,  however,  has  been  drawn  from 
those  for  whom,  especially,  this  work  has  been  under- 
taken. The  author's  students  have  been  his  best  critics 
and  most  efficient  helpers.  He  deems  it  only  just  to 
mention  among  these  Rev.  C.  K.  Swartz  and  Professor 
R.  H.  Stetson,  whose  thorough  scientific,  philosophical,  and 
literary  training,  together  with  their  especial  interest  in 
this  subject  of  study,  qualified  them  to  render  most  valu- 
able assistance  by  their  sympathetic  suggestions  and,  in 
some  cases,  careful  and  detailed  criticism.  To  these  gen- 
tlemen the  author's  thanks  are  sincerely  and  affectionately 
returned. 

X  It  is  not  supposed  that  the  present  edition  is  free  from 
defects,  nor  is  it  thought  that  the  subject  has  here  at- 
tained a  complete  and  symmetrical,  or  even  a  wholly  self- 
consistent,  development.  The  last  word  on  this  broad 
and  deep  theme  of  expression  will  never  be  uttered. 
It  is  hoped,  however,  that  there  is  here  presented  a  ra- 
tional, comprehensible,  and  .fairly  consistent  method  of 
expressional  analysis,  which  may  serve  to  stimulate  more 
successful  study  in  this  most  fruitful  field. 

w.  B.  c. 

July,  1897. 


PREFACE    TO    PART    II. 


IN  the  preparation  of  the  following  pages  I  have  en- 
deavored to  render  the  usual  introduction  unnecessary. 
There  remains,  therefore,  only  to  acknowledge  a  debt  of 
which  for  many  years  I  have  desired  to  make  public 
acknowledgment. 

To  Mr.  Alfred  Ayres,  whose  bold  attacks  upon  affecta- 
tion and  artificiality  have  accomplished  more  good  than,  I 
fear,  he  will  ever  receive  credit  for,  I  wish  to  express  the 
deepest  gratitude.  His  writings  came  to  me  at  a  time 
when  I  needed  them  most ;  and  while  we  may  differ  in 
some  details,  I  yet  feel  that  to  him  I  can  look  as  to  the 
source  of  my  artistic  inspiration. 

The  works  of  Professor  George  Lansing  Raymond,  of 
Princeton  University,  have  been  frequently  drawn  upon 
in  these  pages.  Professor  Raymond  deserves  the  grati- 
tude of  all  students  of  expression,  and  I  take  advantage 
of  this  opportunity  to  express  my  indebtedness  to  him. 

To  Dr.  Richard  Green  Moulton,  of  the  University  of 
Chicago,  I  owe  a  greater  debt  than  I  can  repay.  The  in- 
spiration I  have  derived  from  his  books,  classes,  and  kindly 
advice  is  such  that  without  it  I  doubt  that  my  share  of 
this  work  could  ever  have  been  written. 

S.  H.  C. 
THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  TEACHERS. 


Different  kinds  of  students  require  different  treatment, 
but  the  authors  suggest  that  work  begin  with  such  exercises 
as  will  be  most  likely  to  attract  attention  and  retain  inter- 
est. Hence,  except  under  peculiar  circumstances,  drills  in 
breathing,  articulation,  and  so  forth,  should  be  postponed 
until  a  somewhat  later  period,  to  be  decided  upon  by  the 
teacher.  The  work  may  well  begin  with  the  sections  on 
"Earnestness,"  pages  253  to  272. 

The  following  suggestions  are  the  result  of  the  authors' 
classroom  experience,  and  while  many  of  them  may  apply 
equally  well  to  other  chapters,  it  is  deemed  advisable  to 
introduce  them  at  the  outset  in  the  discussion  of  "Earnest- 
ness ": 

N  1.  Each  student  should  be  required  to  commit  a  para- 
graph under  this  head,  and  to  render  the  same  with  spirit 
and  directness.  To  train  him  to  impress  his  thought  and 
feeling  upon  the  audience  should  be  the  object  of  this  drill. 

2.  From    six    to    eight    lessons    should    be   devoted    to 
"  Earnestness." 

3.  Students  should  learn  a  new  extract  for  at  least  every 
other  lesson.     The  first  time  he  recites  the  teacher  should 
have  him  understand  what  is  expected  and  give  him  a  very 
brief  but  pointed  criticism.     At  the  next  session  the  sfctfdfent 
should  be  expected  to  show  some  results  of  this  criticism. 

xv 


xvi  SUGGESTIONS  TO   TEACHERS. 

The  teacher  should  refrain  from  lengthy  discussions,  other- 
wise he  will  not  be  able  to  hear  every  member  of  his  class 
at  6ach  meeting. 

4.  Teachers  should  avoid  criticism  of  detail  for  fear  of 
restricting  the  pupil,   but  should  not  hesitate  to  correct 
flagrant  errors  that  might  lead  to  serious  faults  and  man- 
nerisms.    The  more  advanced  the  pupil,  the  more  detailed 
may  the  criticisms  become. 

5.  Even  in  large  classes  (twenty-five  should  be  the  limit) 
an  endeavor  should  be  made  to -hear  each  student  at  each 
recitation. 

6.  It  is  not  to.be  expected  that  the  object  for  which  the 
drill  in  earnestness  is  given  will  be  attained  in  a  few  weeks. 
Nevertheless  it  is  best  to  pass  on  to  the  next  stage  before 
the  student  finds  the  work  irksome.      It  is  to  be  borne  in 
mind    that    earnestness    is    a  feature   of    subsequent   work 
throughout  the  course. 

7.  Drill  in  vocal  culture  and  in  the  rudiments  of  gesture 
should  not  begin  until  the  end  of  the  third  or  fourth  week. 
This  postponement  is  advised  on  the  ground   (1)  that  the 
student  will  be  more  in-terested  in  speaking  from  the  floor 
than  in  mere  drill  work  ;    (2)  under   the  impulse  derived 
from  the  desire  to  speak,  he  will  be  less  restricted  vocally 
and  gesturally,  and  hence  will  more  nearly  present  his  true 
self  to  the  teacher.     As  a  result,  when  the  time  arrives  for 
the  technical  drills,  the  teacher  will  be  in  a  better  position 
to  prescribe  what  the  pupil  most  needs. 

8.  After  three   or   four    lessons,    attention    should   be 
directed  to  the  Introduction,  pages  1  to  8,  and  to  "Para- 
phrasing,"  pages   10  to  26.     Portions  of    these   chapters 
should  be  assigned  to  individual  students  for  extempore  dis- 
cussion before  the  class.     This  method  has  been  found  very 
helpful  in  developing  earnestness.     Sufficient  time  should 
be  spent  in  paraphrasing  for  expression,  especially  on  the 


SUGGESTIONS  TO   TEACHERS.  xvii 

" Subjective"  and  the  "Expansive"  paraphrase;  because 
these  features  will  be  found  absolutely  necessary  to  the  best 
results  in  all  stages  of  the  work. 

Chapters  III,  IV  and  V,  of  Part  I,  should  next  receive 
attention  simultaneously  with-  the  corresponding  exercises 
of  Part  II,  pages  209  to  223.  It  must  be  insisted  upon  that 
much  more  time  is  required  to  master  the  practical  than  the 
theoretical,  and  hence  the  exercises  of  the  second  part  should 
not  be  discontinued  until  definite,  if  not  the  best,  results 
are  attained. 

The  study  of  Chapter  VI,  together  with  illustrative 
matter,  pages  224  to  252,  should  occupy  three  weeks'  at 
least,  although  this  time  is  not  sufficient  for  the  full  mastery 
of  even  the  theoretical  chapter,  which  should  be  constantly 
referred  to  throughout  the  rest  of  the  course.  Attention  is 
especially  directed  to  the  discussion  of  "The  Central 
Idea,"  pages  237  and  238.  At  this  stage  the  chapter  on 
"Transitions,"  page  396,  may  be  studied  to  advantage. 

The  section  on  "Earnestness"  has  already  introduced 
the  student  to  the  study  of  emotion.  It  is  now  advisable 
to  take  up  the  theory  in  Part  I,  pages  79  to  98,  together 
with  the  exercises  of  Part  II,  pages  272  to  295.  It  is  profit- 
able to  dwell  for  some  time  on  this  chapter,  especially  on 
"Normal"  and  on  "Elevated"  feeling;  for  some  of  the 
best  results  in  vocal  culture  may  be  attained  through  such 
practice  as  is  recommended  in  those  sections. 

The  chapter  on  "Volition,"  pages  99  to  115,  and  the 
notes  accompanying  the  illustrative  matter  under  this  head 
in  Part  II,  pages  296  to  315,  require  no  enlargement. 

The  chapters  of  Part  I  on  "The  Musical  Properties  of 
Speech"  and  on  "Vocal  Technique  "  may  be  drawn  upon 
during  the  course  of  study  already  outlined,  and  may  also 
be  made  the  basis  of  a  more  advanced  course  in  literary 
interpretation  and  artistic  rendition. 


xviii  SUGGESTIONS  TO   TEACHERS. 

The  remaining  chapters  of  Part  II  should  be  referred  to 
from  time  to  time  after  the  third  or  fourth  month,  as  occa- 
sion requires.  The  chapter  on  "Descriptive  Gesture  "  may 
be  used  even  earlier,  not  with  the  expectation  of  complete 
mastery,  but  for  its  suggestiveness.  "Climax  "  and  "Con- 
trast "  should  be  studied  carefully  after  the  student  has 
obtained  a  good  command  of  the  fundamentals.  To  intro- 
duce them  earlier  may  be  discouraging. 

It  may  be  stated  that  the  course  here  outlined  should 
occupy  from  sixty  to  seventy  hours.  It  is  understood  that 
in  those  institutions  where  elocution  is  taught  the  classes 
meet  on  an  average  two  hours  a  week  during  the  school 
year,  and  our  suggestions  are  made  in  accordance  with  that 
understanding.  After  this  first  year  the  student  will  study 
longer  extracts.  The  teacher  should  offer  fuller  criticisms 
and  constantly  refer  him  to  the  chapters  of  the  book  deal- 
ing with  those  phases  wherein  the  student  is  weak.  It 
is  here  that  Part  I  will  be  most  helpful.  At  the  outset 
many  teachers  and  students  are  anxious  for  tangible  results, 
and  such  are  likely  to  find  this  part  too  detailed.  But 
later,  when  the  student  has  attained  a  certain  degree  of 
power,  he  will  appreciate  the  necessity  of  careful,  minute 
study,  without  which  a  mastery  of  the  art  is  impossible. 

Theological  students  will  find,  as  a  rule,  sufficient 
examples  appended  to  the  respective  chapters  of  Part  I. 


CONTENTS  OF  PART  I. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Thinning,  1 ;  Communicating,  2 ;  Hearing,  2 ;  Elocution  defined,  2 ;  Rela- 
tions of  Elocution  and  Rhetoric,  2 ;  Suggestiveness  of  Tone,  3 ;  Para- 
phrasing, 4 ;  Cases  illustrating  the  relation  between  Matter  and  Manner, 
5 ;  Requisites  of  Expression,  5 ;  Purpose  and  Habit,  6 ;  Mind  and  Body, 
6;  Practicality,  7. 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  I.  — 

1.  James  on  Habit,  8;  2.  Shakespeare  and  Browning  on  Relation  of 
Mind  and  Body,  8. 

CHAPTER  II. 

PARAPHRASING  AS   A   PREPARATION   FOR   EXPRESSION. 

Interpretation  the  end  in  all  expression,  9;  Expressional  paraphrasing 
compared  with  literary  paraphrasing,  10;  Objective  or  impersonal  para- 
phrasing, 12 ;  Subjective  or  personal  paraphrasing,  12 ;  Expansive  para- 
phrasing, 13 ;  Elliptical  or  parenthetical  paraphrasing,  16 ;  Condensative 
paraphrasing,  17 ;  Prosaic  paraphrasing,  19 ;  Conscious  intention  and 
instinctive  use,  21. 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  II.  — 

1.  Manner  not  less  important  than  matter,  23;  2.  Example  from  Clay's 
speech  on  Greece,  23;  3.  Musical  composition  analogous  to  expansive 
paraphrasing,  23. 

CHAPTER  III. 

TYPES   OF  UTTERANCE. 

Purpose  the  basis  of  classification,  27;  "Type"  defined,  28;  Classification 
with  reference  to  Purpose,  28 ;  Formulative,  Discriminative,  Emotional, 
and  Volitional  types  described,  28,  29;  Final  and  immediate  purposes 
as  governing  analysis,  30 ;  Sequence  of  Dominant  Moods,  30. 

NOTE  ON  CHAPTER  III. — 

Bible  passages  suggested  for  study  of  types  of  utterance,  32. 

xix 


xx  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

CASES   OF   FORMULATION. 

Introduction  as  preparation,  34 ;  Explanatory  introduction,  35 ;  Adaptive, 
35 ;  Conciliatory,  36 ;  Incentive,  36 ;  Movement  in  introductory  matter, 
37 ;  Prepositional  matter,  37 ;  Formal  proposition,  37 ;  Definitive  propo- 
sition, 38;  Logically  connected  or  weighty  proposition,  38 ;  "  Quantity  " 
in  prepositional  utterance,  39 ;  Transition,  39. 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  IV.  — 

1.  Suggestions  for  further  study,  40;  2.  Bible  passages  for  classification 
and  study,  40. 

CHAPTER  V. 

GROUPING. 

Necessity,  42;  Principle,  42;  Heiidiadys,  43;  Kinds  of  Pauses,  43;  gram- 
matical, elliptical,  prosodial,  42,  43. 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  V.  — 

1.  Punctuation  and  grouping;  a  passage  for  experiment,  44 ;  2.  Remarks 
on  the  reading  of  poetry,  45;  3.  Rhythmic  grouping  in  prose,  46; 

4.  Bible  passages  for  study  of  various  kinds  of  grouping  and  pauses,  46 ; 

5.  Scriptural  passages,  47. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

DISCRIMINATION . 

Compared  with  Formulation,  49 ;  Relations  of  facts  and  ideas,  49 ;  Inflec- 
tion, 50 ;  Completeness  and  Incompleteness,  50 ;  Assumption  and  Asser- 
tion, 66 ;  Complex  Relations,  70. 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  VI.  — 

1.  A  case  of  momentary  completeness,  74;  2.  Diagram  showing  degrees 
of  pitch  in  rising  inflections,  75 ;  3.  How  to  decide  when  to  assume  and 
when  to  assert,  75;  4.  "Assertion" — technical  use  further  explained, 
75;  5.  Continuative  falling  slide,  75 ;  6.  Circumflex  for  comparison  vs. 
circumflex  for  contrast,  76;  7.  Bible  passages  suggested  for  discrimina- 
tive analysis,  76. 

CHAPTER  VII. 


Relations  of  Emotion.  79;  Means  of  expressior,  80:  Normal  feeling,  81; 
Pure  tone,  82;  Enlarged  or  deepened  feeli  ig,  83;  Aspirated  tone,  87; 
Oppressed  or  covered  feeling,  88;  Pectora;  tone,  90;  Stern  or  severe 
feeling,  90 ;  Rigid  or  tense  voice,  91 ;  Agituted  feeling,  93 ;  Tremulous 
voice,  94. 


CONTENTS.  xxi 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  VII.  — 

1.  The  purpose  in  the  study  of  emotion,  97;  2.  Suggestions  for  further 
study,  97  ;  3.  Bible  passages  giving  different  kinds  of  feeling,  98. 

CHAPTER  VIII 

VOLITION. 

Volitional  paraphrasing,  99 ;  Abrupt  volition,  102 ;  Initial  stress,  104 ;  Insist- 
ent volition,  104;  Final  stress,  107;  Uplifting  volition,  107;  Median 
stress,  109;  Mixed  types,  110;  Establishment,  Violence,  110-112. 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  VIII.  — 

1.  A  final  word  of  the  Study  of  Volition,  114;  2.  Bible  passages  giving 
different  kinds  of  volitionality,  115. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

MUSICAL   PROPERTIES    OF   SPEECH. 

Movement,  or  Tempo,  117;  Rhythm,  poetic,  prosaic,  121-125;  Keys,  139; 
Melody,  142 ;  Intervals,  143 ;  Special  tone-qualities,  146. 

NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  IX.  — 

1.  "Euphony"  and  "harmony"  in  literary  style  compared  with  tone- 
color  in  speech,  157;  2.  Bible  passages  illustrating  movement,  158; 
3.  Hymns  illustrating  different  kinds  of  poetic  rhythm  and  substitu- 
tions of  feet,  158;  4.  Prose-rhythm,  159;  5.  Change  of  key,  159;  6.  Spe- 
cial qualities,  or  tone-color,  159. 

CHAPTER  X. 

CRITICISM. 

Two  kinds,  161;  Individuality  in  reading  and  speaking,  162;  Objective 
properties  of  delivery,  164;  Subjective  properties,  164;  Purpose  and 
paraphrase,  165. 

APPENDIX. 

VOCAL   TECHNIQUE. 

Naturalness  in  speech,  168 ;  Table  of  Vocal  Exercises,  170-171 ;  Functions 
and  training  of  Chest,  172;  Throat,  185;  Jaw,  188;  Tongue,  191;  Oral 
Cavity,  192 ;  Vocal  Chords,  194 ;  Articulating  Organs,  197 ;  Abdominal 
Muscles,  201 ;  Summary,  206. 


CONTENTS   OF   PAET  II. 


V 


CHAPTER  I. 

STUDIES   IN   FORMULATION. 

Time,  209;  Grouping,  216. 

CHAPTER   II. 

STUDIES   IN   DISCRIMINATION. 

Completeness,  Finality,  Momentary  Completeness,  224 ;  Grammatical  and 
Formal  Incompleteness,  Subordination,  226 ;  Anticipation,  227 ;  Implied 
Incompleteness,  Negative  Statement,  Non-Affirmative  Statement,  230; 
Doubt,  231 ;  Interrogation  Direct,  232 ;  Supplication  or  Entreaty,  Com- 
plex Relations,  Comparison  or  Contrast,  with  Affirmation,  233;  Com- 
parison or  Contrast,  with  Incompleteness,  Affirmation  with  Incomplete- 
ness, 234;  The  Central  Idea,  237;  Subordination,  247. 

CHAPTER  III. 

STUDIES    IN    EMOTION. 

Earnestness,  253;  Personation,  259;  Normal  Feeling,  272;  Elevated  Feel- 
ing, 276;  Suppressed  Feeling,  285;  Stern,  Severe,  or  Harsir  Feeling, 
287 ;  Oppressed  or  Covered  Feeling,  291 ;  Agitated  Feeling,  293. 

CHAPTER   IV. 

STUDIES    IN    VOLITION. 

Energy  of  Abruptness,  296;  Energy  of  Insistence,  304;  Energy  of  Uplift, 
309;  Energy  of  Establishment,  313;  Energy  of  Violence,  314. 

CHAPTER   V. 
RECITATION  AS  ART 316 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   RELATION   OF   LITERATURE   TO   RECITATION. 

Unity,  326 ;  Principality,  331 ;  Sub^rdlnatIon7-882T^f ovement,  336. 

xxii 


CONTENTS   OF  PART  II.  xxui 

CHAPTER  VII. 

STUDIES   IN    PRINCIPALITY   AND   SUBORDINATION. 

~~ *  \/ 

Principality,  338  ;  Subordination,  341 ;  Note  to  Chapter  VII.,  342. 

i 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
ATMOSPHERE 344 

CHAPTER   IX. 
CONTRAST 359 


CHAPTER  X. 

CLIMAX. 

Climax,  368;  Gradation,  372. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

INTERLUDE   AND   REPETITION. 

Diversion,  or  Interlude,  378 ;  Repetition,  380. 

CHAPTER   XII. 

TONE-COLOR 385 

13oTES  TO  CHAPTER  XII 393-395 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
TRANSITIONS 396 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

EXAMPLES   OF   LITERARY   ANALYSIS. 

Analysis  of  King  Robert  of  Sicily,  415 ;  Analysis  of  Mark  Antony's  Funeral 
Oration,  432. 

CHAPTER  XV. 
DESCRIPTIVE  GESTURE 452 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
PREPARATION  OF  RECITATIONS 468 


PRINCIPLES  OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 


CHAPTER   I. 
INTRODUCTION. 

RELATIONS    OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION   TO    PSYCHOLOGY   AND 
RHETORIC,    AND    TO   PHYSIOLOGY. 

Analysis.1  —  Delivery  is  not  a  substitute  for  thought.  Not  en- 
tertainment, but  the  manifestation  of  thought-process,  is  the 
end  to  be  sought.  This  end  is  attained  by  careful  meas- 
urement of  thought,  both  in  its  intrinsic  properties  and 
in  its  personal  relations.  Thought  is  viewed  as  in  process 
of  communication,  and  adapted  to  reception  by  the  ear. 
Elocution  is  a  study  of  thought-processes  in  their  relation 
to  utterance.  Its  connection  with  Rhetoric.  Vocal  Ex- 
pression is  affected  by  and  affects  structure  of  sentences. 
Suggestiveness  through  symbolism  of  tone.  Tone  adds 
real  meaning  to  spoken  words  ;  suggests  comparison ; 
inverts  ;  conveys  emotionality.  Tone  effects  are  chiefly 
intuitive.  Paraphrasing  reveals  accompanying  mental  pro- 
cesses. Relation  between  matter  and  manner  is  shown  in 
conversation,  in  oral  recitation,  in  legal  testimony,  in  pop- 
ular address.  Requisites  for  full  expression  are,  a  dis- 
position to  communicate  and  open  channels.  Culture  of 
habits.  Interaction  of  psychical  and  physical.  The  train- 
ing is  two-fold.  Practical  results  are  tested  through 
criticism  by  a  sensitive  ear  and  a  refined  literary  taste. 

Thinking.  —  Elocution,  or  Oral  Expression,  presupposes 
some  thought  to  be  expressed.  Delivery  does  not  make 

1  The  analysis  preceding  each  chapter  is  designed  for  both  preview  and  review. 
The  student  will  usually  find  it  a  help  toward  fixing  in  mind  the  contents  of  the 
chapter, 

1 


2  PRINCIPLED  OF\Y$CAL   EXPRESSION. 

thought,  nor  in  any  sense  supply  its  place.  Those  enter- 
tainments which  consist  of  a  display  of  voice  and  gesture 
do  not  belong  to  that  which  is  of  first  interest  to  thinking 
men  with  something  to  say.  Agreeable  sounds  and  com- 
binations of  sounds  are  not  the  end  in  speech,  even  in 
the  sense  in  which  they  may  be  such  in  music.  Neither 
amusement  nor  aesthetic  satisfaction  meets  the  require- 
ments of  rhetorical  delivery. 

Communicating.  —  Elocution  views  the  thought  as  be- 
ing in  the  process  of  communication.  In  order  to  be  com- 
municated, it  must  first  be  formulated  in  the  mind  of  the 
thinker:  i.e.,  prepared  for  statement,  with  regard  always 
(a)  to  the  intrinsic  properties  and  relations  of  the  sub- 
ject-matter ;  (b)  to  the  speaker's  personal  relation  to  the 
subject-matter,  occasion,  and  audience ;  and  (c?)  to  his  pur5 
pose  to  produce  a  given  effect  upon  the  minds  addressed. 
It  is  a  matter  of  judgment  and  of  adaptation  of  means  to 
end. 

Hearing.  —  Vocal  Expression  regards  the  thought  as 
addressed  to  the  ear ;  hence  it  employs  as  its  media  all  the 
varied  properties  of  tone  through  which  the  human  mind 
can  reveal  itself,  giving  a  wider  range  of  means  than  writ- 
ing —  all  that  writing  can  give  and  much  more. 

Definition.  ^-Elocution,  ^heri^ift-theHbest  -sense,  is  the 
study  of  thought-processes  in  their  relation  to  utterance. 

Rhetoric  and  Elocution.  —  Observe  two  general  ways 
in  which  vocalized  thought  differs  from  written  thought. 
These  will  give  a  better  notion  of  the  relation  between 
elocution  and  rhetoric. 

1.  Structure. — Vocal  Expression  often  demands  a 
much  simpler  structure  than  writing.  The  listener  is 
largely  dependent  upon  the  delivery ;  and  complexity  of 


RELATIONS   TO  PSYCHOLOGY.  3 

structure  renders  the  reception  more  difficult.  The  study 
of  Vocal  Expression  naturally  favors  a  simple,  conversa- 
tional style  of  composition. 

There  are,  indeed,  great  dangers  connected  with  the 
"off-hand"  style, — dangers  which  a  habit  of  careful  writ- 
ing will  avert.  All  that  is  claimed  here  is  that  the  lim- 
ited receiving  capacity  of  the  ear  reacts  favorably  upon 
the  thinking,  demanding  clearness,  conciseness,  directness, 
logical  sequence.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  subject 
necessitates  complicated  thinking,  delivery  can  manifest 
this  by  many  means,  such  as  grouping  of  words,  sub- 
ordination of  phrases  and  clauses,  significant  intonation, 
and  variations  in  the  rate  of  utterance.  Good  elocution 
will  often  thus  compensate  for  an  involved  style  of  writ- 
ing. 

2.  Suggestiveness.  —  Parts  of  the  thought  may  be  im- 
plied and  virtually  incorporated  by  the  tones  of  the  voice. 
This  second  effect  is  obtained  chiefly  by  variations  of 
inflection.  The  tones  thus  assist  both  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  what  we  hear,  and  in  conveying  fuller  meaning 
when  we  speak.  A  few  obvious  cases  are  the  follow- 
ing :- 

(a)  Something  added  to  the  meaning  of  the  words. 
A  person  quoting  some  strong  utterance  will  often  supply 
a  part  of  the  thought  which,  in  the  original  utterance,  was 
only  implied  by  the  intonation  ;  thus,  — 

"  Beware  the  Ides  of  March."  (For,  Csesar,  thy  fate 
awaits  thee  then.)  "My  blessing  season  this  in  thee." 
(These  are  but  words  upon  your  ear,  Laertes,  but  your 
father's  admonition  and  affection  are  contained  in  them ; 
time  and  experience  will  justify  them  to  your  own  thought.) 

(/>)    The  force  of  the  words  may  be  weakened,  as  in 


4  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

rendering  a    compliment  tardily   or  indifferently;     thus, 
"  He  spoke  very  well "  (considering). 

(c)  The   tone  may  suggest  comparison,  as,   "  This  is 
my  view"  (I  don't  know  what  you  think). 

(d)  The  meaning  of  the  words  may  be  actually  inverted  \ 
by  the  tone,   as  in  irony.      "They  are   honorable  men." 
(The  last  time  Antony  uses  the  expression  in  the  funeral 
oration,  —  Julius  Ccesar,  III.  ii.) 

(i)  The  tone  may  imply  an  emotional  significance,  as 
"Do  not  leave  me  here  !  "  (Oh,  can't  you  stay  with  me?) 

We  thus  add  to  our  conception  of  the  subject-matter 
as  contained  in  the  words  some  estimate  of  the  speaker's 
personal  relation  to  the  matter  and  to  his  listener. 

This  significance,  which  we  thus  attach  to  tones,  is  foT 
the  most  part  recognized  intuitively.  There  is  also,  per- 
haps,  a  small  percentage  of  effect  resulting  from  meanings 
which  men  have  conventionally  agreed  upon.  However1 
derived,  these  effects  of  tone  are  real  parts  of  the  thought. 
Such  additions,  direct  and  parenthetical,  if  written  in  full  \ 
would  quite  swamp  the  thought  of  any  ordinarily  sugges- 
tive paragraph.  In  a  reasonably  expressive  style  of  speech, 
as  many  words  will  be  implied,  on  an  average,  as  are 
spoken.  These  implied  additional  words  impart  to  those 
spoken  a  fullness  of  significance  which  can  scarcely  be 
realized  in  any  other  way. 

Paraphrasing.  —  The  measurement  of  these  mental  pro- 
cesses, and  the  noting  of  them  in  suggestive  hints  accom- 
panying the  text,  constitute  paraphrasing  for  the  purposes 
of  expression,  which  will  be  developed  in  connection  with 
many  parts  of  this  book. 


RELATIONS     TO    PYSCHOLOGY. 


CASES    ILLUSTRATING    THE    RELATION    BETWEEN    MATTER 
AND    MANNER. 

(1)  The  most  obvious  proof  of  the  vital  connection 
between  matter  and  manner  is  found  in  the  familiar  fact 
that  we  ordinarily  feel  satisfied  as  to  a  person's  real  mean- 
ing only  after  conversing  with  him. 

(2)  An  oral  recitation,  if  freed  from  embarrassment 
and  other  disturbing  influences,  will  give  the  most  satisfac- 
tory exhibition  of  a  student's  knowledge  of  the  subject. 

(3)  In  an  important  law-case  the  manner  of  the  wit- 
ness is  a  factor  in  determining  his  fitness  to  testify  and 
the  accuracy  of  his  knowledge. 

(4)  Many  a  popular  lecture,  address,  or  sermon  would 
lose    a   very  large    portion    of   its   significance   by   being 
printed;   and  yet  the  speaking  of  it  is  not  an  illusion  or 
a  cheap  device.     Presence  and  voice  give  a  real,  and  in 
many  cases  an  essential,  part  of  the  thought. 

With  all  reverence,  we  may  refer  to  the  Perfect 
Teacher.  He  left  no  written  treatise,  nor  ever,  so  far 
as  we  know,  read  a  lecture  or  a  sermon.  He  made  the 
great  addition  to  the  written  law  by  personal  intercourse 
with  men. 

Requisites.  —  In  order  to  have  free  and  full  expression, 
two  things  are  necessary. 

1-.  One  must  have  something  to  say,  and  have  the  dis- 
position to  communicate. 

2.  The  channels  of  expression  must  be  so  prepared 
that  a  minimum  of  energy  shall  be  expended  in  the  mere 
means  of  communication. 

The  first  requisite  sustains  an  intimate  relation  with 
the  second.  The  relation  is  one  of  mutual  assistance,  of 


6  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

interdependence.  It  is  as  true  that  the  opening  of  the 
channels  for  communication  affects  the  thought  that  shall 
be  uttered,  as  it  is  true  that  the  thought  in  the  mind  pro- 
vides a  way  for  such  utterance. 

Purpose  and  Habit.  —  The  capability  of  forming  habits 
with  definite  purpose  to  utilize  the  habitual  action,  is  one 
of  the  distinguishing  powers  of  man.  And  the  cultivation 
of  those  conditions  and  habits  from  which  desired  action 
shall  proceed  spontaneously,  is  the  end  in  the  larger  part 
of  all  the  physical  exercises  connected  with  the  prepara- 
tion for  speech,  isee  NOTE  i.j 

Broadly  speaking,  then,  every  movement  of  the  body, 
whether  directly  volitional  or  only  habitual,  is  domi- 
nated by  the  purposes  of  the  mind.  On  the  other  hand, 
physical  habits  once  induced,  greatly  affect  the  action  of 
the  mind  itself;  hence  the  vast  importance  of  correct 
physical  habits,  even  in  the  light  of  purely  intellectual 
activity  and  achievement.  Mind  and  body  so  react  upon 
each  other,  that  we  may  not  say,  This  part  is  only  physi- 
cal ;  that,  simply  mental.  Each  throb  of  feeling,  though 
its  cause  be  only  spiritual,  moves  sensibly  some  portion  of 
the  physical  frame.  It  shows  itself  in  quickened  pulse, 
in  heated  brain,  or  starting  perspiration,  or  contracting 
muscle.  [NOTE  2.] 

Mind  and  Body.  —  A  twofold  training  of  the  man  is 
thus  contemplated  in  the  study  of  Oral  Expression.  It 
includes  (a)  the  measurement  of  thought  as  in  process  of 
communication,  or  the  analysis  of  the  expressional  ele- 
ments of  thought;  (6)  the  mastery  of  the  physical  means 
of  expression.  Both  of  these  —  the  mental  and  the  physi- 
cal training  —  together  constitute  the  technique  of  expres- 
sion. 


RELATIONS    TO  PSYCHOLOGY.  7 

The  relation  of  the  two  elements  in  this  technical  de- 
velopment will  appear  as  we  proceed  in  the  study.  Let  it 
here  suffice  to  say  that  the  mental  must  lead.  Judg- 
ments must  be  made  first;  and,  secondly,  we  must  find 
what  properties  of  tone  and  action  naturally  fit  and  rep- 
resent these  processes  of  thinking.  And  yet  these  two 
departments  are  not  separated,  nor  is  either  of  them 
made  matter  of  mere  mechanical  analysis  or  dissection. 
The  physical  and  the  mental  elements  of  technique  are 
continually  interwoven  in  the  processes  of  actual  expres- 
sion. [NOTE  3.] 

This  book  is  concerned  more  especially  with  what  may 
be  called  mental  technique,  or  the  mental  side  of  tech- 
nique. In  this,  as  in  all  technical  development,  the  true 
object  is  the  establishment  of  normal  conditions,  out  of 
which  rational  expression  shall  come  with  spontaneity, 
ease,  and  precision,  because  both  mind  and  body  are  work- 
ing most  economically ;  that  is,  in  conformity  with  ascer- 
tained laws  of  nature. 

Natural  habits,  both  physical  and  mental,  once  started, 
tend  to  acceleration ;  and  they  move  on  with  a  self-devel- 
oping momentum. 

Practicality.  —  All  work  with  an  artistic  aim  finds  its 
ultimate  justification  in  practical  use  ;  and  this  will  be 
fully  tested  only  by  thorough  criticism.  Many  of  the  di- 
visions and  subdivisions  made  in  the  expressional  analysis 
may  at  first  seem  to  be  more  nice  than  wise.  Experience 
has  proved,  however,  that  the  theoretical  discriminations 
are  not  more  minute  than  are  the  corresponding  properties 
of  tone  which  are  demanded  by  a  sensitive  ear  and  a  re- 
fined literary  taste. 


PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 


NOTES   ON   CHAPTER   I. 

NOTE  l. 

The  student  will  do  well  to  read  at  this  point  Professor  James's 
discussion  of  "Habit"  in  his  Psychology,  Briefer  Course,  Chapter  10. 
The  physical  basis  of  habit  in  its  practical  effects  and  psychological 
importance  is  in  nothing  more. essential  and  vital  than  in  the  study 
of  Expression  and  the  formation  of  the  technique  of  utterance. 

NOTE  2. 
The  world's  great  poet  has  said:  — 

And  when  the  mind  is  quicken'd,  out  of  doubt, 
The  organs,  though  defunct  and  dead  before, 
Break  up  their  drowsy  grave,  and  newly  move 
With  casted  slough  and  fresh  legerity. 

SHAKESPEARE,  Hen.  F.,  I. 
NOTE  3. 

What  is  he  but  a  brute 

Whose  flesh  hath  soul  to  suit, 
Whose  spirit  works  lest  arms  and  legs  want  play  ? 

To  man,  propose  this  test, — 

Thy  body  at  its  best, 
How  far  can  that  project  its  soul  on  its  lonely  wa^  ?,+ 


Let  us  not  always  say, 

"  Spite  of  this  flesh  to-day 
I  strove,  made  head,  gained  ground  upon  the 

As  the  bird  wings  and  sings, 

Let  us  cry,  "All  good  things 

Are  ours;  nor  soul  helps  flesh  more,  now,  than  flesh  helps  soul." 

BROWNING,  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra. 


CHAPTER   II. 

PARAPHRASING    AS    A   PREPARATION    FOR   EXPRESSION. 

Analysis.  —  Interpretation  is  the  end  in  all  expression.  A 
kind  of  translation  ;  Expressional  paraphrase  adds  im- 
plied comments,  and  compels  absorption  of  thought;  A 
disciplinary  study  ;  Serves  to  make  thought  clearer  —  Ob- 
jective ;  and  to  reveal  speaker's  attitude  toward  the  thought 
—  Subjective ;  Objective  gives  fuller  content,  Subjective 
manifests  the  intent ;  Expansive  paraphrase  amplifies  the 
thought ;  Elliptical  or  parenthetical  paraphrase  shows  im- 
plied connected  matter ;  Condensative  paraphrase  abridges, 
giving  salient  points,  and  preventing  the  dissipation  of  atten- 
tion ;  Prosaic  paraphrase  assists  in  sharpening  intellectual 
impressions  dulled  by  conventional  renderings,  and  obscured 
by  poetic  diction  ;  No  antagonism  between  instinct  and  rea- 
son ;  Expressional  paraphrase  brings  to  consciousness  for 
a  time  i,L  >se  thought-processes  which  are  present  in  fresh, 
su^o-estive  speech;  it  cultivates  the  instinct  for  expres- 
si- 

Ii  -ti^  Cation  is  the  true  purpose  in  all  jsxpressive 
readirqr.  This  word  "read,"  in  its  original  significance, 
indicates  translation.  All  attempts  at  interpretation  rest 
upon  the  essential  principle  of  translating  or  carrying  over 
into  one's  own  realm  of  experience,  observation,  and  coniv 
munication,  things  that  are  found  in  some  less  familiar 
realm. 

When  ideas  or  thoughts  are  translated  into  language 
other  than  those  in  which  they  are  originally  found,  the 
process  is  called  literary  paraphrasing ;  when  translated 
into  bearing,  attitude,  and  gesture,  the  process  might  be 


10  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

called  pantomimic  paraphrasing :  translation  into  tone 
becomes  vocal  paraphrasing,  or  vocal  expression. 

Expressional  paraphrase  should  include  all  the  essen- 
tial elements  of  literary  paraphrase,  and  should  add  such 
comments  as  will  reveal  the  author's  purpose  in  the  utter- 
ance, and  the  relations  of  the  speaker  or  reader  to  the 
thought,  to  the  occasion,  and  to  the  audience.  That  is, 
expressional  paraphrase  adds  to  the  words  the  personal, 
subjective  elements  of  thought,  or  the  effect  of  the  reader's 
personality.  This  process  of  paraphrasing,  broadly  treated, 
constitutes  a  large  part  of  the  general  mental  preparation 
for  expressive  utterance.  It  should  accompany  the  analy- 
sis by  types  or  moods,  and  should  be  employed  freely, 
even  before  the  different  moods  of  utterance  are  taken  up 
in  detail. 

Some  of  its  connections  with  the  various  processes  of 
formal  rhetoric  may  be  noted.  It  will  largely  employ  syn- 
onyms, but  not  directly  for  the  purpose  of  technical  study 
of  words ;  synonymous  expressions  will  be  employed,  both 
to  test  the  student's  grasp  of  the  thought  and  to  compel 
an  absorption  of  the  thought.  Paraphrasing  in  its  more 
prominent  application  will  be  found  similar  and  sup- 
plemental to  some  of  the  fundamental  processes  of  com- 
position and  analysis.  Thus,  condensative  paraphrasing 
corresponds  to  outlining  and  paragraphing,  and  the  test- 
ing of  the  unity  of  thought.  Expansive  paraphrase,  or 
the  expansion  of  the  thought,  is  a  practical  application 
of  the  process  of  amplification,  though  much  more  rapid 
and  economical.  Elliptical  paraphrasing  is  one  of  the 
finest  practical  tests  for  the  property  of  suggestiveness, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  important  factors  in  all  rhetori- 
cal problems. 


PARAPHRASING   FOR   EXPRESSION.  11 

As  a  disciplinary  study,  pursued  in  this  way,  its  value 
is  certainly  not  second  to  that  of  ordinary  rhetoric.  It  is 
superior  in  so  far  as  it  demands  the  practical  application, 
and  ultimately  the  spontaneous  assimilation,  of  rhetorical 
principles. 

Purpose.  —  The  most  economical  way  of  testing  the  use 
of  words,  especially  as  to  the  intonation  they  shall  receive, 
is  to  state  to  one's  own  mind  explicitly  and  definitely  the 
purpose  with  which  he  speaks.  This  principle,  applied 
broadly,  as  to  the  motive  or  end  in  a  sermon  or  platform 
address  as  a  whole,  would  be  t^uite  obvious.  It  is  not  quite 
so  clear  when  applied  to  the  shorter  portions  of  speech.  In 
regard  to  these,  it  is  often  assumed  that  the  expression 
must  be  unconscious. 

To  choose  means  of  expression  as  to  movement,  inflec- 
tion, etc.,  by  arbitrary  standards,  or  by  imitation,  would 
surely  result  in  stiffness,  shallowness,  and  affectation  in 
delivery.  The  utterance  always  must  be  the  reader's  or 
speaker's  own  measurement  of  the  thought.  To  secure 
this  individual,  independent  interpretation,  and  to  insure 
a  fresh  realization,  at  the  moment,  of  the  significance  and 
bearings  of  what  one  is  saying  —  this  is  to  prepare  for 
genuine  expression.  And  for  this  nothing  is  a  greater 
help  than  an  expressional  paraphrase.  [NOTE  1.3 

In  connection  with  each  of  the  types  of  utterance,  we 
shall  apply  this  principle  of  paraphrase.  Two  reasons 
may  justify  such  changes  in  the  words  :  - 

tion,  the  thought  contained   in  the  words 


from  the  personality  of  the  speaker. 

(2)    To  show  more  fully  the  speaker's  attitude  and  rela- 
tion toward  the  thing  said  or  toward  the  person  addressed. 


12  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

The  first  of  these  two  purposes  will  give  rise  to  what 
we  may  call  objective  paraphrasing;  the  second  will  occa- 
sion that  which  is  subjective. 

Objective  or  Impersonal  Paraphrasing.  —  The  objective 
is  more  explanatory,  more  intellective,  dealing  more  with 
the  reason  of  the  case,  and  less  with  any  emotion  or  en- 
thusiasm in  the  utterance. 

In  the  following  passage  Brutus  is  represented  as  ex- 
panding the  thought  of  the  first  clause  in  a  soliloquy 
which  very  coolly  reasons  upon'  the  proposed  death  of 
his  friend  Caesar,  setting  forth  to  his  own  mind  causes, 
conditions,  and  results.  This  is  almost  a  typical  case  of 
objective  expansion  made  by  the  poet  himself. .  In  many 
cases  similar  amplification  must  be  mentally  made  by  the 
reader  or  speaker  in  order  to  realize  the  full  force  of  a 
brief  condensed  sentence.  Objective  paraphrasing  gives 
the  fuller  content  of  the  thought. 

BRUTUS.     It  must  be  by  his  death  :  and,  for  my  part, 
I  know  no  personal  cause  to  spurn  at  him, 
But  for  the  general.     He  would  be  crown'd: 
How  that  might  change  his  nature,   there's  the  question. 
It  is  the  bright  day  that  brings  forth  the  adder; 
And  that  craves  wary  walking.     Crown  him?  —  that;  — 
And  then,  I  grant,  we  put  a  sting  in  him, 
That  at  his  will  he  may  do  danger  with. 

Julius  Ccesar,  II.  i. 

Subjective  or  Personal  Paraphrasing.  -  -  This  is  such 
comment,  explanation,  or  accompaniment  as  reveals  the 
intent  of  the  speaker.  Take  a  sentence  like  the  above  : 
"It  must  be  by  his  death."  One  may  assume  on  the 
part  of  the  speaker  an  attitude  of  query,  doubt,  hesi- 
tation ;  and  this  interpretation  may  be  expressed  in  an 


FOR  fiXPRfiSSlON.  13 

expansion  which  shall  distinctively  emphasize  that  mental 
state.  For  example,  Must  it  be?  No,  I  cannot  bear  to 
think  of  it !  He  is  my  friend.  Yet  I  must  face  it,  for  he 
is  my  country's  enemy.  He  has  no  grievous  personal  fault, 
but  he  is  dangerous  to  the  State.  Yet,  can  I  be  sure  that 
his  death  is  the  only  means  of  safety?  I  cannot  tell. 

Or,  in  the  same  words,  assume  a  clear  discrimination 
between  his  death  and  the  death  of  some  other,  or  between 
the  death  of  Caesar  and  his  recognition  as  emperor.  Again, 
assume  the  interpretation  of  decision,  emphasizing  "  must," 
and  expand  somewhat  as  follows,  We  have  hesitated  long 
enough.  We  have  already  incurred  more  danger  than  we 
ought.  As  Romans,  we  must  rouse  ourselves  and  meet  the 
emergency.  Let  us  be  prompt,  decided,  bold !  Let  us  do 
our  duty.  And  still  other  interpretations  might  be  as- 
sumed, which,  in  order  to  be  justified  to  the  speaker's  own 
mind,  would  need  to  be  paraphrased  —  chiefly  by  expan- 
sion —  in  such  a  way  as  to  bring  out  the  speaker's  personal 
relation  to  the  thought. 

Expansive  Paraphrasing.  —  According  to  the  laws  of 
rhetorical  amplification,  a  brief,  compact  expression  may 
be  made  to  seem  more  real  by  dwelling  on  it  for  a  mo- 
ment. But  a  manufactured  slowness  is  far  from  being  a 
suggestive  deliberateness.  In  order  to  make  a  slow  deliv- 
ery truly  amplify  the  thought,  the  speaker  must  actually 
have  in  his  own  mind  those  considerations,  added  facts, 
reflections,  allusions,  etc.,  which  he  wishes  to  hint  to  his 
hearers.  The  listener  may  not,  indeed,  receive  precisely 
the  same  accompanying  thoughts  that  the  speaker  has 
in  mind,  but  "like  will  beget  like."  Either  the  same 
thoughts  or  others  as  good  in  the  same  line  will  be  sug- 
gested to  the  sympathetic  listener,  provided  a  sensitive 


14  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

and  trained  soul,  —  logical,  imaginative,  and  emotional,  — 
is  allowed  to  play  upon  a  flexible  and  sensitive  voice. 

"  To  be,  or  not  to  be,"  in  the  marvelous  soliloquy  of 
Hamlet,  is  thus  expanded  through  the  thirty  lines  that 
follow :  — 

To  be,  or  not  to  be, — that  is  the  question  : 

Whether  'tis  nobler  in  the  mind  to  suffer 

The  slings  and  arrows  of  outrageous  fortune, 

Or  to  take  arms  against  a  sea  of  troubles, 

And  by  opposing  end  them  ?     To  die,  —  to  sleep,  — 

No  more  ;  and  by  a  sleep  to  say  we  end 

The  heart-ache  and  the  thousand  natural  shocks 

That  flesh  is  heir  to,  'tis  a  consummation 

Devoutly  to  be  wish'd.     To  die, — to  sleep;  — 

To  sleep  !  perchance  to  dream  !  ay,  there's  the  rub  ; 

Thus  conscience  does  make  cowards  of  us  all  ; 
And  thus  the  native  hue  of  resolution 
Is  sicklied  o'er  with  the  pale  cast  of  thought  ; 
And  enterprises  of  great  pith  and  moment 
With  this  regard  their  currents  turn  awry, 

And  lose  the  name  of  action. 

Hamlet,  III.  i. 

Now,  the  act  of  mentally,  silently,  recalling  all  these 
accompanying  thoughts,  and  so  expanding  the  compact 
expression,  enables  one  to  put  into  the  brief  uttered 
words  that  significance  which  logically  and  rightfully 
belongs  to  them,  without  an  affected  or  mechanical  slow- 
ness. The  slow  rate  becomes  truly  suggestive  and  eco- 
nomical. 

See  examples  of  this  in  Psalm  cxxxix.  Here  we  have 
fine  cases  both  of  the  anticipative  and  of  the  conclusive 
or  retrospective  expansion.  The  first  verse  of  the  Psalm 
evidently  implies  the  thoughts  which  are  expanded  in  the 
following  five  verses :  — 


PARAPHRASING   FOR   EXPRESSION.  15 

1.  O  Lord,  thou  hast  searched  me,  and  known  me. 

2.  Thou  knovvest  my  downsitting  and  mine  uprising  ;  thou  under- 
standest  my  thought  afar  off. 

3.  Thou   compassest  my  path   and  njy  lying  down,  and  art  ac- 
quainted with  all  my  ways. 

4.  For  there  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue,  but,  lo,  O  Lord,  thou 
knowest  it  altogether. 

5.  Thou  hast  beset  me  behind  and  before,  and  laid  thine  hand  upon 
me. 

C.  Such  knowledge  is  too  wonderful  for  me  ;  it  is  high,  I  cannot 
attain  unto  it. 

Now  observe  the  retrospective  expansion  in  the  last 
two  verses  of  this  Psalm  :  - 

23.  Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart  :  try  me,  and  know  my 
thoughts. 

24.  And  see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the 
way  everlasting. 

During  the  utterance  of  these  closing  words,  the  intel- 
ligent, genuine  reader  must  have  in  his  mind  some  such 
reflective  expansion  of  the  thought  as  this,  Thou  Omnis- 
cient, Omnipresent  One,  who  takest  account  of  my  every 
act,  and  notest  every  purpose  and  imagination  of  this  heart, 
—  thy  marvelous  creation,  —  thou  knowest  that,  while  I 
sincerely  hate  all  evil  ways,  I  may  myself  be  false  and 
erring.  Oh,  seek  out  the  lurking  sin  within  me,  bring  it 
plainly  before  me,  let  me  forsake  it,  and  go  with  thee  in 
ways  of  safety,  peace,  and  life  forevermore ! 

This  is  called  an  expansive  paraphrase,  because  it  really 
does  expand  or  unfold  more  fully  the  meaning  which  is 
condensed  into  the  words.  Its  vocal  symbol  will  consist 
in  a  slow  rate,  with  pauses  well  marked,  but  not  abrupt ; 
and  full  quantity,  which  Avill  be  saved  from  becoming 
mere  prolongation  of  sound  by  the  subtle,  sympathetic, 


16  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

suggestive  quality  imparted  by  the  reflections  and  com- 
ments that  momentarily  fill  the  mind. 

Take  these  two  lines  from  Longfellow's  Hiawatha :  — 

"O  the  long  and  dreary  Winter  I"     Paraphrase  objectively. 
"O  the  cold  and  cruel  Winter!"       Paraphrase  subjectively. 

In  such  cases  a  sensitive  prolongation  of  the  words  will 
be  indispensable  to  the  full  utterance.  [NOTE  2.] 

Elliptical  or  Parenthetical  Paraphrasing.  —  This  differs 
from  the  expansive  in  that.it  supplies  suggested  and  re- 
lated matter  connected  with  the  text,  rather  than  unfolds 
ideas  plainly  enwrapped  in  it.  Expansion  unfolds  what 
is  infolded.  It  spreads  out  what  is  compact  or  condensed, 
but  what  is  really  contained  in  the  passage.  Ellipsis,  on 
the  other  hand,  suggests  what  may  be  received  with  the 
thought.  It  verges  more  upon  the  mood  of  discrimina- 
tion. Its  vocal  expression  will  employ  the  rhetorical 
pause,  rather  than  grammatical  pause  and  quantity.  With 
the  pause  there  will  also  be  some  suggestive  inflection,  or 
intonation.  This  will  be  plainer  after  the  study  of  dis- 
crimination, but  must  be  somewhat  anticipated  here. 

Take  these  sentences  from  Elaine's  Eulogy  of  G-arfield, 
and  expand  them  elliptically : — 

"  Not  alone  for  the  one  short  moment  in  which,  stunned  and  dazed, 
he  could  give  up  life,  hardly  aware  of  its  relinquishment,  but  through 
days  of  deadly  languor,  through  weeks  of  agony,  that  was  not  less 
agony  because  silently  borne,  with  clear  sight  and  calm  courage,  he 
looked  into  his  open  grave. 

"  Gently,  silently,  the  love  of  a  great  nation  bore  the  pale  sufferer 
to  the  longed-for  healing  of  the  sea,  to  live  or  to  die,  as  God  should 
will,  within  sight  of  its  heaving  billows,  within  sound  of  its  mani- 


PARAPHRASING    FOR    EXPRESSION.  17 

fold  voices.  With  wan,  fevered  face  tenderly  lifted  to  the  cooling 
breeze,  he  looked  out  wistfully  upon  the  ocean's  changing  wonders ; 
on  its  far  sails,  whitening  in  the  morning  light ;  on  its  restless  waves, 
rolling  shoreward  to  break  and  die  beneath  the  noonday  sun ;  on  the 
red  clouds  of  evening  arching  low  to  the  horizon ;  on  the  serene  and 
shining  pathway  to  the  stars.  Let  us  think  that  his  dying  eyes  read 
a  mystic  meaning  which  only  the  rapt  and  parting  soul  may  know. 
Let  us  believe  that  in  the  silence  of  the  receding  world  he  heard  the 
great  waves  breaking  on  a  further  shore,  and  felt  already  upon  his 
wasted  brow  the  breath  of  the  eternal  morning." 

Condensative  Paraphrasing.  —  In  this  the  purpose  is 
the  opposite  of  that  in  expansive  paraphrasing.  The  de- 
sign here  is  to  abridge  the  expression  for  the  purpose  of 
grasping  its  salient  points.  This  prevents  the  attention 
from  being  scattered  by  the  great  number  of  words,  or  of 
subordinate  clauses,  often  necessary  to  the  full  writing  of 
the  thought.  The  condensing  may  be  done  either  by 
sifting  out  a  few  of  the  words  employed  by  the  author, 
or  by  substituting  some  briefer  expression  equivalent  in 
sense.  Short  and  simple  examples  of  this  would  be  such 
cases  as  the  following,  John  ix.  14 :  "  Now  it  was  the 
sabbath  day  when  Jesus  made  the  clay,  and  opened  his 
eyes."  Here  the  words  umade  the  clay,  and  opened  his 
eyes  "  are  simply  equivalent  to ;  did  this ;  the  thing  done 
being  explicitly  stated  before.  So  in  the  twenty-fourth 
verse  of  the  same  chapter:  "  So  they  called  a  second 
time  the  man  that  was  blind,  and  said  unto  him,  Give 
glory  to  God :  we  know  that  this  man  is  a  sinner."  The 
words  "  the  man  that  was  blind "  are  equivalent  to ; 
him. 

In  the  second  chapter  of  Romans,  verses  2-16  will  be 
more  intelligently  read  by  first  condensing  the  whole 
thought  into  a  brief  sentence  or  two,  thus,  Canst  thou 


18  PRINCIPLES    OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

justify  thyself  before  God,  who  will  at  last  award  to  every 
man  his  true  deserts  ? 

Now,  it  is  not  at  all  meant  that  this  condensative 
paraphrasing  should  antagonize  the  idea  of  the  expansive ; 
the  two  are  complemental  parts  of  the  same  process.  By 
as  much  as  the  brief,  condensed  expression  enables  one 
better  to  grasp  the  thought  as  a  whole,  by  so  much  is  he 
the  better  prepared  to  expand  without  losing  the  unity 
of  the  thought. 

Take  this  passage  from  Julius  Ccesar :  — 

I  know  that  virtue  to  be  in  you,  Brutus, 
As  well  as  I  do  know  your  outward  favor. 
Well,  honor  is  the  subject  of  my  story. 
I  cannot  tell  what  you  and  other  men 
Think  of  this  life;  but,  for  my  single  self, 
I  had  as  lief  not  be  as  live  to  be 
In  awe  of  such  a  thing  as  I  myself. 
I  was  born  free  as  Caesar;   so  were  you: 
We  both  have  fed  as  well;  and  we  can  both 
Endure  the  winter's  cold  as  well  as  he: 

And  this  man 

Is  now  become  a  god  ;  and  Cassius  is 
A  wretched  creature,  and  must  bend  his  body, 
If  Caesar  carelessly  but  nod  on  him. 

Ye  gods,  it  doth  amaze  me, 
A  man  of  such  a  feeble  temper  should 
So  get  the  start  of  the  majestic  world, 
And  bear  the  palm  alone. 

Julius  Ccesar,  I.  ii. 

The  speech  as  a  whole  may  be  better  understood  by 
first  condensing  its  principal  thought  into  some  single  sen- 
tence, as,  Is  it  not  absurd  that  so  weak  a  man  as  Csesar 
should  lord  it  over  you  and  me  ?  This  will  leave  the 


PARAPHRASING   FOR   EXPRESSION.  19 

mind  at  liberty  to  notice  every  suggested  idea  in  the  full 
mental  amplification,  without  losing  sight  of  the  central 
purpose  for  which  Cassius  speaks. 

At  this  point  the  student  should  practice  for  several 
lessons  making  condensative  paraphrases  of  strong  pas- 
sages. Take,  for  example,  scenes  from  Shakespeare,  and 
condense  long  speeches  into  a  line  or  two.  Take  orations, 
essays,  descriptions,  criticisms,  —  in  short,  any  good  ma- 
terial used  for  ordinary  literary  or  rhetorical  analysis,  — 
and  condense  the  thought  of  each  paragraph  into  a  single 
sentence.  This  condensative  paraphrasing  for  vocal  ex- 
pression is  the  counterpart  of  the  testing  of  rhetorical 
unity  in  the  paragraph.  The  reduction  to  a  single  sen- 
tence should,  however,  not  be  a  mere  abstract  of  the 
thought  as  given,  but  should  be  the  reader's  measurement 
of  the  aim  and  purpose  in  that  thought.  For  this  purpose 
those  selections  will  be  the  best  which  reveal  something 
of  the  personality  of  the  writer,  and  which  contain  a  real 
human  interest.  No  text-book  will  afford  so  many  rich 
examples  for  this  work  as  the  Bible.  Condense  the  para- 
graphs of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  those  of  Luke  xv.,  of 
John  iii.  and  iv.,  of  Rom.  viii.,  of  1  Cor.  xv.,  almost  any 
of  the  Psalms,  many  passages  in  the  Prophets,  many  in  the 
narrative  portions  of  the  Old  Testament. 

Prosaic  Paraphrasing.  —  In  this,  the  purpose  is  to  re- 
duce poetry  to  prose  as  nearly  equivalent  in  meaning  as 
possible.  It  serves  to  correct  the  cantish,  sing-song  style 
so  prevalent  in  the  reading  of  poetry ;  and,  deeper  than 
this,  to  regain  the  impression,  which  the  poetic  form, 
especially  in  familiar  selections,  is  likely  somewhat  to 
dull. 

The  student  need  not  be  disturbed  by  the  fact  that  the 


20  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

paraphrase  will  often  be  intrinsically  inferior  to  the  poetry. 
This  temporary  loss  will  be  far  more  than  balanced  by  the 
permanent  gain  realized  by  compelling  one's  mind  to 
analyze  the  thought,  and  so  to  receive  a  fresher  and  more 
vivid  impression. 

The  translation,  here  offered,  of  Tennyson's  Bugle 
Song  is  one  of  a  number  of  possible  interpretations.  It 
is  helpful  to  the  reader  to  adopt  some  definite,  self-con- 
sistent interpretation  that  will  open  to  his  own  mind  the 
depth  and  beauty  of  the  poem. 

To  assume  to  offer  as  an  equivalent  any  paraphrase  one 
might  make,  would  of  course  be  an  affront,  not  only  to 
the  author,  but,  as  well,  to  every  appreciative  reader ; 
to  prepare  one's  own  mind  more  fully  to  express  Tenny- 
son's words,  by  thus  first  bringing  them  down  to  the  read- 
er's own  level,  is  quite  another  thing. 

"  The  splendor  falls  on  castle- walls 

And  snowy  summits  old  in  story  : 
The  long  light  shakes  across  the  lakes, 
And  the  wild  cataract  leaps  in  glory. 
Blow,  bugle,  blow,  set  the  wild  echoes  flying, 
Blow,  bugle  ;  answer,  echoes,  dying,  dying,  dying. 

O  hark,  O  hear  !  how  thin  and  clear, 
And  thinner,  clearer,  farther  going  ! 
O  sweet  and  far  from  cliff  and  scar 

The  horns  of  Elfland  faintly  blowing  ! 
Blow,  let  us  hear  the  purple  glens  replying  : 
Blow,  bugle  ;  answer,  echoes,  dying,  dying,  dying. 

O  love,  they  die  in  yon  rich  sky, 

They  faint  on  hill  or  field  or  river; 
Our  echoes  roll  from  soul  to  soul, 

And  grow  forever  and  forever. 
Blow,  bugle,  blow,  set  the  wild  echoes  flying, 
And  answer,  echoes,  answer,  dying,  dying,  dying." 


PARAPHRASING  FOR  EXPRESSION.  21 

The  mellow,  brilliant  light  now  glorifies  the  turrets  and  arches  cf 
yon  ancient  fortress,  and  tints  the  historic  peaks  of  the  hoary  moun- 
tains towering  above  us.  The  westering  sun  sends  slanting  rays, 
which  shimmer  on  the  water ;  and  the  free,  glad  stream,  rejoicing  in 
the  fullness  of  its  life,  gives  itself  to  its  destined  course  with  confi- 
dent abandon,  throwing  out  its  glorious  torrents  resplendent  in  the 
smile  of  heaven.  And  while  we  gaze,  hark  to  that  floating  strain  of 
melody!  Oh,  let  the  bugle  tones  awake  the  echoes  from  hill  and 
valley  !  Listen  !  how  the  sounds  grow  fainter,  fainter,  but  still  mu- 
sical, and  liiigeringly  sweet !  Hark  again  !  how  thrillingly  resonant, 
and  yet  how  airy  and  dreamlike,  as  it  seems  to  leave  us,  throw- 
ing back  its  soft  "  good-bye ! "  How  transporting  come  those  en- 
chanting melodies,  refined  from  all  the  noises  of  the  earth  below, 
and,  like  the  airy  peaks  that  buoyantly  re-echo  them,  upraising 
fancy  to  ideal  heights,  where  spirit  dwells,  unmixed  with  baser  mat- 
ter !  Let  these  sprite  voices  once  again  remind  us  of  that  higher 
spirit-life  whose  peaks  of  pure  affection  reach,  as  these  hill-tops  do, 
far  into  heaven. 

My  love,  these  mellow  sounds,  and  those  rich  colors  in  our  sky, 
stay  but  a  moment ;  we  turn  our  ear  to  catch  the  last  reverberation, 
and  it  sounds  no  more ;  we  search  the  purpling  sky  for  those  bright 
tints  we  saw  but  now  —  they  gleam  no  longer.  Not  like  them  is 
our  love.  It  only  swells  the  fuller,  as  chord  awakens  answering 
chord  in  our  responsive  souls.  There  is  no  tendency  in  love-tones  to 
grow  feeble,  nor  in  love-lighted  skies  to  pale  and  darken.  The  song 
of  love  is  but  enhanced  with  each  reverberation,  and  so  its  volume 
and  its  sweetness  shall  increase  to  all  eternity. 

Then  let  the  glad-voiced  horn  once  more  sound  forth  the  notes 
that  feebly  tell  our  spirits'  quivering,  trembling,  yet  exultant  joy; 
and  as  its  tones,  reflected,  die  away,  let  our  souls  repeat,  yet  once 
again,  that  truer  spirit-song,  whose  echoes  never  cease.  [NOTE  3.3 

Conscious  Intention  and  Instinctive  Use.  —  A  passage, 
or  a  form  of  words,  long  familiar  to  one,  ceases  to  have 
for  him  the  freshness  of  a  lately  discovered  truth;  the 
habit  of  freely  paraphrasing  necessitates  that  freshness 
and  vividness  of  impression  which  is  indispensable  to  a 


22  PRINCIPLES   OF    VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

genuine  delivery.  It  forms  that  part  of  elocutionary  train 
ing  which  is  most  closely  connected  with  what  we  call 
the  instinct  for  expression.  When  we  speak  of  the  ex- 
pressional  instinct  or  the  logical  instinct,  the  discrimina- 
tive instinct  or  the  imaginative  instinct,  we  do  not,  of 
course,  mean  that  man  speaks  blindly  or  unintentionally. 
Our  human  instincts  are  regulated  by  reason.  To  say 
that  a  man  has  done  a  thing  unthinkingly  is  not  to  say 
that  he  has  done  it  accidentally,  or  in  accordance  with 
no  law.  The  purpose  in  all  training  for  expression,  as  in 
every  other  department  of  education,  is  to  subordinate 
automatic  action  to  genuine  purpose  or  intention.  The 
fact  that  most  of  our  daily  acts  are  performed  automati- 
cally simply  emphasizes  the  truth  that  the  human  mind  is 
capable  of  a  great  mastery  over  itself  and  the  delicate 
machinery  which  it  operates.  Professor  James  says:  - 

There  is  no  material  antagonism  between  instinct  and  reason. 

Though  the  animal  richest  in  reason  is  also  the  animal  richest 
in  instinctive  impulses  too,  he  never  seems  the  fatal  automaton  which 
a  merely  instinctive  animal  must  be.  —  Psychology,  Briefer  Course, 
p.  398. 

The  end  of  expressional  paraphrasing  is,  therefore,  to 
bring  to  consciousness  for  a  time  those  thought-processes 
which  must  be  present  in  vivid,  fresh,  suggestive  vocal 
interpretation.  By  making  these  thought-processes,  tem- 
porarily, a  matter  of  conscious  attention,  and  even  of 
minute  analysis,  we  become  able  to  regulate,  diversify, 
and  enrich  the  instinct  for  expression. 


PARAPHRASING   FOR   EXPRESSION.  23 


NOTES   ON   EXPKESSIONAL   PARAPHRASING. 

NOTE  1. 

It  is  acknowledged  scholarship  to  choose  words  definitely  and  pur- 
posely, even  though  such  painstaking  choice  should  retard,  for  the  time, 
the  spontaneous  "  flow  "  which  should  characterize  good  writing.  Is  it 
any  less  disciplinary  or  any  less  useful  to  choose  the  manner  of  uttering 
words?  Not  only  is  it  true  that  "manner  is  matter  ;"  it  is  also  true 
that  very  often  manner  is  much  more  important  than  matter  ;  i.e.,  it 
makes  much  more  difference  how  one  speaks  than  what  one  speaks. 

NOTE  2. 

The  following  passage  from  Clay  is  a  notable  example  of  expansion 
on  the  ideas  contained  in  "Lord  and  Savior,"  and  "United  States." 
What  the  orator  here  uttered  in  words  might  often,  perhaps  ordinarily, 
be  held  in  thought,  as  a  mental  expansion,  a  subjective,  inward  com- 
ment, giving  color  and  significance  to  the  fewer  words  :  — 

"  What  appearance,  sir,  on  the  page  of  history,  would  a  record  like 
this  make  :  '  In  the  month  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  and 
Savior,  1824,  while  all  European  Christendom  beheld,  with  cold,  un- 
feeling apathy,  the  unexampled  wrongs  and  inexpressible  misery  of 
Christian  Greece,  a  proposition  was  made  in  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  —  almost  the  sole,  the  last,  the  greatest  repository  of  human 
hope  and  human  freedom,  the  representatives  of  a  nation  capable  of 
bringing  into  the  field  a  million  of  bayonets  —  while  the  free  men  of 
that  nation  were  spontaneously  expressing  its  deep-toned  feeling,  its 
fervent  prayer,  for  Grecian  success  ;  while  the  whole  continent  was  ris- 
ing, by  one  simultaneous  motion,  solemnly  and  anxiously  supplicating 
and  invoking  the  aid  of  heaven  to  spare  Greece,  and  to  invigorate  her 
arms;  while  temples  and  senate-houses  were  all  resounding  with  one 
burst  of  generous  sympathy  ;  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  and  Savior — that 
Savior  alike  of  Christian  Greece  and  of  us — a  proposition  was  offered 
in  the  American  Congress  to  send  a  messenger  to  Greece  to  inquire  into 
her  state  and  condition,  with  expression  of  our  good  wishes  and  our 
sympathies, — and  it  was  rejected  !' ' 

NOTE  3. 

The  musical  setting  of  a  deep  and  beautiful  thought  affords  an  in- 
stance of  expansive  paraphrasing  which  may  well  illustrate  the  general 
principle.  In  this  connection,  indeed,  it  is  something  more  than  illus- 
tration ;  it  is  really  a  finer  and  more  elaborated  application  of  the  same 


24  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

principle.  It  is,  moreover,  a  use  of  paraphrasing  that  appeals  to  the 
consciousness  of  most  thoughtful  people.  We  may  legitimately  borrow 
the  suggestion  from  the  twin  art  of  musical  expression.  Let  us  take 
an  example. 

The  Golden  Legend,  by  Longfellow,  affords  a  good  case.  It  is  a 
simple  story  in  its  plot. 

A  prince  is  stricken  with  a  dread  disease,  which  is  pronounced 
''not  to  be  cured,  yet  not  incurable."  .  .  . 

•'  The  only  remedy  that  remains, 
Is  the  hlood  that  flows  from  a  maiden's  veins, 
Who  of  her  own  free  will  shall  die, 
And  give  her  life  as  the  price  of  yours." 

In  a  pious  peasant's  home  in  the  forest,  whither  the  prince  has  be- 
taken himself  to  suffer  in  seclusion,  is  found  a  maiden  so  self-forgetful 
and  so  generous  that  she  is  willing  to  give  her  life  for  that  of  the  prince. 

Such  is  the  prose  of  the  pretty  story;  such  is  the  bare  situation, 
which  is  not  even  fact.  And  yet  there  is  a  fact,  or  rather  a  truth,  in 
this;  for  self-denial,  the  willingness  to  die  for  others,  is  not  a  legend  or 
a  myth. 

And  so  the  poet,  with  a  deeper  insight  than  that  of  a  mere  story- 
teller, puts  into  Elsie's  mouth  that  wondrous  prayer,  beginning:  — 

"My  Redeemer  and  my  Lord." 

The  poet  has  carried  the  germinal  idea  of  self-denial  through  one 
stage  of  its  development.  It  is  now  the  office  of  the  musician  to  carry 
forward  the  development  through  another  stage. 

Dudley  Buck  employed  selections  from  this  Golden  Legend  as  the 
text  of  a  cantata  which  is  full  of  musical  gems. 

In  this  prayer  of  Elsie's,  Buck  discovered  the  separate  yet  blending 
moods  of  reverence,  simplicity,  humility,  longing,  and  earnest  entreaty. 
These  moods  or  phases  of  the  thought  he  has  embodied  in  a  beautiful 
tone-paraphrase,  translating  and  amplifying  Longfellow's  thought  in 
Elsie's  prayer.  The  pleading  is  expressed  in  long,  high  notes  with  cres- 
cendo and  diminuendo,  and,  usually,  with  descending  cadence,  the  nat- 
ural symbol  of  the  soul's  reach  and  aspiration.  In  shorter,  broken 
phrases  is  expressed  the  eager,  almost  panting  desire  to  be  like  Him 
who  gave  His  life  for  all;  while  the  allusion  to  His  "  bleeding  wounds  " 
is  made  in  a  changed  theme,  wherein  the  upper  voices  give  a  gently  un- 
dulating melody,  and  an  inner  voice  gives  a  trembling  agitated  motion 


PARAPHRASING    FOR    EXPRESSION.  25 

suggesting  a  quivering  thrill,  portraying  the  emotion  of  a  soul  deeply 
stirred  by  the  pathos  of  the  scene.  The  tenor  in  the  accompaniment 
gives  the  effect  of  a  tremulous  feeling,  showing  intense  agitation. 

"Scourged  and  mocked  and  crucified" 

is  given  by  the  hard  and  usually  uiimelodic  interval  of  the  augmented 
second,  followed  by  a  long,  high  note  with  a  descending  octave, — a 
wail  of  sympathetic  anguish  :  — 

"And  in  the  grave  hast  thou  been  buried." 

Two  simple  chords, — a  hush;  and  the  singer's  voice  descends  in 
gentle,  mellow  cadence,  the  language  of  reverent  pity. 

Then  comes,  in  another  key,  a  simple,  almost  childlike  melody  ac- 
companying the  words:  — 

"If  my  feeble  prayer  can  reach  Thee." 

This  grows  fuller,  bolder,  with  the  return  of  the  pleading  element, 
which  culminates  in  the  intense  desire  :  — 

"  Let  me,  bleeding  as  thou  bleedest, 
Die,  if  dying  I  can  give 
Life  to  one  who  asks  to  live, 
And  more  nearly,  dying  thus,  resemble  Thee." 

With  these  last  words  the  song  subsides  into  a  fully  prepared,  com- 
plete cadence,  giving  that  sense  of  repose  and  satisfaction  which  por- 
trays an  earnest  soul  at  perfect  peace. 

When  one  has  absorbed  the  fuller  expansion  of  the  scene  in  Buck's 
setting  of  it,  he  sees  no  longer  a  sick  prince  and  a  sentimental  girl. 
What  if  the  story,  but  a  myth  at  first,  does  lose  its  tragedy,  and  end  in 
common  love-tale  fashion  ?  It  is  not  the  fate  of  the  girl  Elsie  that  has 
grown  upon  you,  but  the  sense  of  faith,  humility,  power,  self-denial, 
strong  spiritual  aspiration,  which  are  ever  the  veriest  of  all  true  things. 
It  is  this  interior  meaning  which  is  brought  out  through  the  medium  of 
tone.  It  is  not  too  much  to  claim  that  an  artistic  literary  rendition  of 
Longfellow's  lines  might  become  possible  through  a  mental  absorption 
—  a  subjective  expansion  —  quite  similar  to  that  given  by  the  musical 
interpretation.  The  fact  that  the  musical  rendering  is  more  definite 
and  tangible  makes  it  one  of  the  most  helpful  means  of  realizing  the 
essentially  identical  end  in  case  of  a  vocal  artist  who  attempts  the 
equally  subtle  and  practically  more  useful  task  of  interpretation  through 
speech. 


26  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

The  student  will  find  illustrations  of  similar  tone-paraphrasing  in 
many  songs,  especially  those  of  the  romantic  school.  Good  examples 
are:  "The  Two  Grenadiers,"  by  Schumann;  "The  Wanderer"  and 
"  The  Linden  Tree,"  bv  Schubert;  "  Bid  me  to  Live,"  by  Hatton;  "  A 
Name  in  the  Sand,  '  by  Tours;  "  The  Creole  Lover's  Song,"  by  Buck; 
and  very  many  cases  of  recitative,  the  form  of  musical  composition  in 
which  song  and  speech  come  perhaps  the  nearest  together. 


CHAPTER   III. 

TYPES    OF    UTTERANCE. 

Analysis Purpose  is  the  basis  of  classification.     The  For- 

mulative  type  is  concerned  with  perception,  and  is  mani- 
fested by  composure  and  ease  in  action,  and  by  the  tone 
element  of  time.  The  Discriminative  addresses  the  rea- 
soning powers,  showing  relations  of  thought,  and  is  revealed 
by  antithetic  gesture  and  by  inflection.  The  Emotional 
addresses  the  sensibilities,  and  is  manifested  by  sensitive 
changes  in  movement  and  tension,  and  by  tone-color.  The 
Volitional  addresses  the  will,  seeking  to  dominate,  and  is 
symbolized  by  force  or  pressure  in  the  action  and  in  the 
tone.  Final  purpose  dominates  the  article  as  a  whole; 
Special  purpose,  the  paragraph  or  sentence.  The  Special 
determines  the  momentary  utterance,  but  is  influenced  by 
the  general.  Sequence  of  dominant  moods  is  usually  ob- 
served in  well-ordered  speech,  especially  in  oratory.  The 
usual  order  is  the  same  as  here  given,  illustrated  by  Mark 
Antony's  funeral  oration. 

As  we  have  already  seen,  there  are  two  departments  in 
the  study  of  vocal  expression,  the  psychical  and  the  phys- 
ical. The  logical  order  is,  first,  the  thought  viewed  in 
the  light  of  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  to  be  communi- 
cated ;  then,  the  means  of  accomplishing  that  purpose ; 
the  processes  of  thinking  or  conceiving  first,  afterward 
expression  in  tone  and  action. 

Purpose  is  made  the  basis  of  classification,  analysis,  and 
practical  study,  because  it^is  regarded  as  the  regulating 
principle  in  all  communication.  By  "  type  of  utterance"" 
is  meant,  on  the  part  of  the  speaker,  the  purpose  to  pro- 

27 


28  PRINCIPLES  OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

duce  a  given  effect  in  the  mind  of  the  listener.  In  the 
utterance  itself  it  is  that  property  which  expresses  this 
purpose.  The  special  business  of  criticism  upon  delivery 
is  to  point  out  the  agreement  or  disagreement  between  the 
thought  as  conceived  and  the  thought  as  expressed. 


L 


CLASSIFICATION   WITH   REFERENCE   TO   PURPOSE  IN 
UTTERANCE. 


The  Formulative  Type,  addressing  the  faculties  of 
perception,  and  aiming  primarily  to  present  thought-units 
discretively,  not  in  connections  or  relations. 

Composure,  ease,  and  firmness  are  the  general  proper- 
ties of  action  expressing  formulation.  They  express  self- 
possession,  with  a  -readiness  to  open  and  unfold  ideas. 
The  gestures  are  less  frequent,  less  varied,  less  intense, 
than  in  other  types  of  utterance.  Gestures  most  natural 
for  this  type  are  those  which  indicate,  open,  reveal,  pre- 
sent. They  are  unimpassioned,  simple,  and  small.  In  the 
limited  use  of  gesture  which  is  appropriate  to  the  formu- 
lative  type,  the  position  of  the  body  becomes  specially 
important.  This  should,  as  a  rule,  be  reposeful,  or  mod- 
erately animated. 

The  tone  element  which  is  the  special  symbol  of  for- 
mulation is  Time,  measured  both  in  rate  of  movement  and 
in  the  grouping  of  elements. 

2.  The  Discriminative  Type,  addressing  the  reasoning 
powers,  and  aiming  to  show  relations  of  thought.  This 
type  deals  with  parts,  as  formulation  deals  with  wholes./ 

Discriminative  gesture  usually  consists  in  opposition 
or  contrast  of  movement.  This  is  the  natural  symbol  of 
antithesis,  which  underlies  most  discriminative  utterance. 


TYPES    OF   UTTERANCE.  29 

Gestures  of  discrimination  are  likely  to  include  indication, 
detection,  and  especially  contrasted  affirmation  and  nega- 
tion. 

•f  The  tone  symbol  is  Pitch,  in  the  form  of  inflection. 
\  3.  The  Emotional  Type,  addressing  the  sensibilities, 
and  seeking  to  excite  feeling.  The  bodily  expression  of 
emotion  is  both  too  broad  and  too  subtle  to  be  given  in 
any  single  term.  It  consists  generally  in  changes  of 
posture,  and  in  special  positions  of  the  different  parts 
of  the  body,  especially  of  the  face,  shoulders,  and  hands. 
It  reveals  itself  also  through  changes  of  tension,  or  de- 
grees of  contraction,  in  the  muscles  concerned  in  the 
expression.  Definite  attitudes,  such  as  animation,  antag- 
onism, and  recoil,  in  varying  degrees,  are  often  effective 
elements  in  the  expression  of  emotion;  so  are  such  ges- 
tures as  those  of  caressing,  assailing,  rejecting. 

The  vocal  exponent  of  this  type  is  Quality,  or  "  color  " 
of  tone,  which  results  from  the  general  conditions  indi- 
cated above. 

4.  The  Volitional  Type,  addressing  the  will,  and  at- 
tempting to  persuade  or  dominate.  Volition  is  expressed 
through  gesture  by  directness,  strength,  and  rapidity  of 
action,  always  proportional  to  the  degree  of  energy  as 
required  by  the  thought  and  indicated  by  the  voice. 

General  force,  or  that  which  applies  to  the  thought 
as  a  whole,  is  expressed  more  by  strength  of  posture  and 
carriage  of  head  and  chest ;  stress,  or  the  more  particular 
application  of  energy,  is  shown  more  by  specific  gesticula- 
tion. Gestures  of  affirmation  will  prevail. 

Vocally,  volition  is  indicated  by  the  element  of  Force, 
or  pressure,  in  the  tone. 

Different  purposes  will  often  mingle  at  the  same  in- 


30  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

stant ;  and  the  ground  purpose  may  change  sometimes 
with  great  rapidity.  But  however  frequent  the  changes, 
or  however  complex  the  motive  may  be  at  any  instant, 
there  must  be  in  rational  thought  at  every  moment  some 
predominant  purpose.  This  the  intelligent  speaker  always 
knows  in  the  case  of  his  own  thought.  And  to  discover 
it  in  the  case  of  quoted  or  written  thought  is  the  business 
of  the  intelligent  and  sympathetic  reader. 

Final  and  Immediate  Purposes  as  Governing  Analysis. 
—  In  determining  these  types  it  is  often  necessary  to  con- 
sider their  extent.  In  this  view  purpose  may  appear  as 
final  or  immediate. 

1.  The  general,  or  final,  purpose  is  that  which  domi- 
nates the  article  as  a  whole. 

2.  The  special,  or  momentary,  purpose  is  that  which 
measures    the    direct  and  immediate  motive  in  separate 
portions,  as  paragraphs  or  sentences  taken  by  themselves. 
The  momentary  will  usually  be   decided  in  the  light  of 
the  final,  which  must  be  determined  first. 

The  immediate  purpose,  as  modified  by  the  final,  gov- 
erns the  utterance  at  each  point,  because  the  present  effect 
upon  the  hearer  is  to  be  produced  by  directly  addressing 
at  each  moment  one  faculty  or  another. 

The  habit  of  determining  the  purposes,  both  in  their 
types  and  in  their  extent,  is  of  the  first  importance  in  the 
study  of  Expression.  This  analytic  process,  if  continued 
until  the  mind  works  with  some  freedom  and  spontaneity, 
will  effectually  prevent  imitation,  and  will  do  much  to 
secure  individuality  and  genuineness  in  interpretation. 

Sequence  of  Dominant  Moods.  —  Orderly  thinking  will 
usually  manifest  itself  in  a  logical  sequence  of  dominant 
purposes.  The  most  natural  order,  especially  in  oratory, 


TYPES    OF    UTTERANCE.  31 

is  :  first,  presentation  of  facts  and  truths ;  next,  discernment 
of  relations,  reasoning  on  the  thoughts  presented ;  then, 
excitation  of  feeling  by  presenting  facts  and  proofs  in 
their  emotional  bearings ;  lastly,  the  focalizing  of  thought 
and  feeling  upon  some  practical  end,  reaching  the  climax 
of  soul-action  in  volition. 

Take,  for  example,  Mark  Antony's  funeral  oration  over 
the  body  of  Caesar.  Consider  all  the  circumstances,  and 
see  the  need  of  these  different  elements  at  different  stages 
of  the  address.  At  first  he  must  simply  state  to  the  ex- 
cited populace  the  reasons  for  his  appearing  before  them, 
mentioning  his  personal  relation  to  the  dead  man,  without 
any  excitation  of  passion  in  the  crowd.  It  is  plain,  sim- 
ple statement  of  facts.  This  is  the  type  of  Formulation. 

Soon,  however,  he  finds  it  necessary  to  present  ideas 
in  distinct  relations,  in  the  discussion  of  Caesar's  alleged 
"  ambition."  This  is  done  so  adroitly  that  you  scarcely 
see  at  first  the  entrance  of  another  motive  or  purpose, 
but  soon  you  discover  momentary  predominance  of  Dis- 
crimination. 

When  he  appeals  to  the  popular  love  for  Csesar,  it  is 
with  evident  intent  to  affect  their  feelings.  Hence  we 
merge  into  the  Emotional  type,  the  immediate  momentary 
purpose  being  to  manifest  his  own  feeling  (by  pretending 
to  conceal  it),  and  to  awaken  similar  emotion  in  his 
auditors. 

But  the  orator  has  not  finished  yet.  Facts,  relations 
of  facts  and  truths,  even  deep  feeling,  do  not  exist  for 
themselves,  but  for  some  ultimate  use  to  be  made  of  them. 
There  is  something  to  be  done.  The  will  must  be  aroused 
and  guided,  either  directly  or  indirectly.  This  evident 
intent  to  move  the  audience  to  some  voluntary  attitude 


32  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

or  outward  action  characterizes  and  names  the  Volitional 
type. 

Thus  Antony,  by  addressing  in  turn  every  faculty  of 
his  hearers,  has  accomplished  the  greatest  feat  possible  to 
mortals,  the  moving  of  an  antagonistic  will.  He  has 
shown  himself  an  orator. 

But  it  is  not  alone  in  what  is  technically  called  oratory 
that  the  skillful  use  of  these  types  of  utterances  may  be 
discerned.  Essays,  letters,  any  form  of  communication, 
may  embody  them. 

An  analysis  of  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  First  Corinthians 
will  reveal  similar  progression  of  thought  through  these 
different  types,  demanding  in  turn  the  varying  properties 
of  utterance.  Verses  1-11  are  predominantly  formula- 
tive;  verses  12—23  partake  more  of  discrimination,  giving 
relations  of  ideas ;  the  same  will  be  found  to  predominate 
in  verses  35-49 ;  emotion  appears  as  the  leading  charac- 
teristic in  such  passages  as  verses  55-57  ;  while  the  closing 
verse  of  the  chapter  is  plainly  volitional,  being  designed 
to  bear  upon  the  will,  and  to  move  to  definite  action. 

The  simple  types  must  be  studied  separately  before 
their  combinations  can  be  definitely  or  rightly  considered. 
The  student  needs  to  practice  for  some  time  on  this 
broader  analysis  by  types  before  taking  up  the  study  of 
different  types  in  detail.  This  earlier  stage  of  the  work 
corresponds  to  outlining  in  written  rhetoric. 


Decide  as  to  type  of  utterance  in  the  following  passages  :  — 

1.  General.  2  Sam.  xii.  1-14;  1  Kings  xi.  9-10,  22,  29-43;  Job  xxxiii. ; 
Ps.  xc. ;  Isa.  xi. ;  Matt,  v-vii.,  xiii.,  xxv. ;  Luke  xv.-xvi. ;  John  vi.,  viii., 
x. ;  Acts  vii. ;  Rom.  viii. ;  2  Cor.  xii. ;  Eph.  i.-vi. ;  Heb.  i.-xii. 


TYPES    OF    UTTERANCE.  33 

X 

2.  Special.  2  Sam.  xii.  1-4;  1  Kings  ii.  9-10,  22,  29;  Job  xxxiii.  6-7, 
15-17,  31,  33;  Amos  vii.  1,  14-16;  Luke  xvi.  13;  John  viii.  21-22;  John  ix. 
(in  detail  by  verses);  Acts  vii.  51-53;  1  Cor.  xv.  (by  paragraphs) ;  Col.  fii. 
(by  paragraphs) ;  2  Cor.  xii.  8-9;  Eph.  iv.  9-10;  Phil.  iv.  7. 

These  are  only  ordinary  suggestive  examples.  Add  chapters,  or 
even  whole  books,  of  the  Bible  for  analysis  as  to  the  general  types  of 
utterance.  Abundance  of  examples  illustrating  the  special  will  be 
found  incidentally. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

CASES    OP   FORMULATION. 

Analysis Introduction  is  designed  to  prepare.    The  Explan 

atory  starts  de  novo.  The  Adaptive  recognizes  the  situa- 
tion. The  Conciliatory  induces  genial  or  companionable 
feeling.  The  Incentive  awakens  the  attention  and  im- 
presses with  the  importance  of  the  thought  to  follow. 
Movement  in  introductory  matter  is  medium  tending  to- 
ward slow.  Prepositional  matter  presents  principles  or 
truths.  Formal  proposition  is  the  simplest,  most  like  in- 
troduction. It  is  open,  steady,  moderately  full'arfd-  slow. 
Definitive  partakes  of  Discrimination,  denning,  particular- 
izing. It  is  thinner  and  sharper.  Weighty  is  compre- 
hensive, logically  connected,  conclusive."'  This  is  fuller, 
deeper,  larger.  Expansive  paraphrase  helps  in  apprehen- 
sion and  presentation.  Transition  connects  foregoing  with 
following.  It  has  lighter  tone  "and  tiibre  rapid  Movement, 
with  change  of  body  in  earlier  part,  growing  stable  as  *he 
transition  merges  into  the  following  proposition. 

I.     INTRODUCTION. 

Preparation  is  the  general  purpose  in  all  forms  of  intro- 
duction. As  preparatory,  the  introductory  sentence  or  pas- 
sage serves  to  place  before  the  mind  some  fact  or  truth 
which  is  to  be  received  as  a  basis  or  as  a  point  of  depart- 
ure'.for  other  thoughts  that  are  to  follow.  The  strictly 
introductory  element  is,  thus,  matter  of  perception,  and 
belongs  distinctively  to  the  formulative  type  of  utterance. 
Various  kinds  of  introductory  matter  will,  however,  be 
found  to  differ  from  each  other  in  their  secondary,  or 

34 


CASES    OF   FORMULATION.  35 

modifying,  elements.  We  shall  thus  find  our  special 
types  of  introduction  classified  according  to  the  differ- 
ences in  secondary  purpose,  and  corresponding  to  the  four 
general  types  of  utterance. 

1.  Explanatory  Introduction  is  the  purest  type ;   since 
it  is  usually  nothing  but  a  placing  before  the  listener  of 
simple  fact  in  anticipation  of  some  further  use  to  be  made 
of  such  matter,  or  of  related  -thoughts  to  which  this  may 
lead.     The  purely  formulative  nature  of  such  introductory 
matter  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  it  appeals  to  nothing  but 
the  intelligence. 

Examples.  —  It  sometimes  happens  on  certain  coasts  of  Brittany 
or  Scotland,  that  a  man  —  traveler  or  fisherman  —  walking  on  the 
beach  at  low  tide,  far  from  the  bank,  suddenly  notices  that  for 
several  minutes  he  has  been  walking  with  some  difficulty.  The 
strand  beneath  his  feet  is  like  pitch ;  his  soles  stick  to  it :  it  is  sand 
no  longer,  it  is  glue.  The  beach  is  perfectly  dry;  but  at  every 
step  he  takes,  as  soon  as  he  lifts  his  foot,  the  print  which  it  leaves 
fills  with  water.  —  HUGO. 

John  Maynard  was  well  known  in  the  lake  district  as  a  God- 
fearing, honest,  and  intelligent  pilot.  He  was  pilot  on  a  steamboat 
from  Detroit  to  Buffalo.  One  summer  afternoon  —  at  that  time 
those  steamers  seldom  carried  boats  —  smoke  was  seen  ascending 
from  below.  —  GOUGH. 

2.  Adaptive  Introduction  naturally  employs  some  dis- 
crimination, since  comparison  is  almost  necessarily  prom- 
inent in  adaptation.     Yet  this  discriminative  element  is 
plainly  subservient  to  the  formulative  purpose  of  calling 
attention  to  the  thing  to  be  said  or  done. 

Example.  —  Fellow-Citizens :  It  is  no  ordinary  cause  that  has 
brought  together  this  vast  assemblage.  We  have  met,  not  to  pre- 
pare ourselves  for  political  contests  ;  we  have  met,  not  to  celebrate 


36  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

the  achievements  of  those  gallant  men  who  have  planted  our  victori- 
ous standards  in  the  heart  of  an  enemy's  country  ;  we  have  assem- 
bled, not  to  respond  to  shouts  of  triumph  from  the  West ;  but  to 
answer  the  cry  of  want  and  suffering  which  comes  from  the  East.  — 
PRENTISS. 

3.  Conciliatory  Introduction  will  be  tinged  with  emotion ; 
yet,  as  an  introduction,  its  main  purpose  is  to  present  con- 
siderations to  the  understanding.     It  is,  therefore,  truly 
formulative. 

Examples.  —  Against  the  prisoner  at  the  bar,  as  an  individual, 
I  cannot  have  the  slightest  prejudice  ;  I  would  not  do  him  the  small- 
est injury  or  injustice.  —  WEBSTER. 

I  think  myself  happy,  king  Agrippa,  that  I  am  to  make  my  de- 
fense before  thee  this  day  touching  all  the  things  whereof  I  am 
accused  by  the  Jews  :  especially  because  thou  art  expert  in  all  cus- 
toms and  questions  which  are  among  the  Jews ;  wherefore  I  beseech 
thee  to  hear  me  patiently.  —  Acts  xxvi.  2,  3 : 

See  also  Julius  Ccesar,  III.  ii. ;  Acts  xvii.  22  and  xxiv.  2. 

4.  Incentive  Introduction  is  designed  to  move  the  will, 
but  this  is  subordinate  to  the  deliberative  purpose  of  ga^in- 
ing  the  attention.     Otherwise  it  is  not  truly  introductory. 

Examples.  —  This,  my  lords,  is  a  perilous  and  tremendous  mo- 
ment. —  CHATHAM. 

Soldiers,  if  I  were  leading  into  battle  the  army  which  I  had  in 
Gaul,  I  should  have  had  no  need  to  address  you  ;  for  what  encourage- 
ment would  be  needed  by  those  horsemen  who  had  so  gloriously  con- 
quered the  enemy's  cavalry  on  the  Rhone,  or  by  those  legions  with 
whom  I  pursued  these  very  enemies  and  in  their  retreat  and  refusal 
of  battle  received  their  confession  of  defeat  ? 

Now,  since  that  army,  enrolled  for  the  province  of  Spain,  is  wa- 
ging war  by  my  direction  under  the  command  of  my  brother  Cnseus 
Scipio  in  that  land  where  the  Senate  and  Roman  people  wished  it  to 
fight,  and  since  —  that  you  might  have  a  consul  as  your  leader 
against  Hannibal  and  the  Carthaginians  —  I  have  voluntarily  offered 


CASES   OF  FORMULATION.  37 

myself  for  this  conflict,  the  new  general  must  say  a  few  words  to  his 
new  soldiers.  —  SCIPIO  to  the  Romans. 

Medium  Movement  is  usually  required  in  introductory 
matter.  It  tends  to  be  slow  rather  than  fast,  because  the 
thought  is  presumably  new,  not  apprehended.  The  atti- 
tude is  usually  that  of  "  repose ;  "  action,  slight,  —  little 
or  no  gesture.  Exception  is,  of  course,  made  in  the  last 
type,  the  incentive,  where  considerable  energy  of  action 
may  appear. 

II.     PROPOSITION. 

Prepositional  Matter  is  whatever  lays  down  or  places 
before  the  mind  that  which  has  some  weight  in  itself.  It 
differs  from  introduction  in  that  introduction  leads  to 
something  following,  while  proposition  is  the  thing  to 
which  the  thought  has  been  led.  There  is  an  element  of 
finality  in  it  —  a  settled,  substantial  character  not  found 
in  any  other  form  of  deliberation.  It  appeals  to  the  in- 
telligence with  the  greatest  force.  It  typically  presents 
a  principle  to  be  discussed  or  a  truth  to  be  received.  It 
includes :  - 

1.  Formal  Proposition,  giving  the  purest  type  of  for- 
mulation. This  lies  nearest  to  introduction.  Its  pure 
type  is  the  statement  of  a  subject?  to  be  discussed.  It  is 
well  illustrated  by  the  simple  "revealing"  gesture.  Its 
tone  is  open,  steady,  moderately  full  and  slow. 

Examples.  —  "  The  principle  involved  is  that  of  individual  liberty." 
"  A  straight  line  cannot  meet  the  circumference  in  more  than  two 

points." 

"  The  principle  of  free  governments  adheres  to  the  American  soil." 
"  Our  history  hitherto  proves  that  the  popular  form  of  government 

is  practicable." 


38  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

2.  Definitive  Prepositional  Matter  is  perceptibly  tinged 
with  Discrimination.     It  is  separative,  indicative,  specify- 
ing, particularizing,  or  amplifying,  and   is   illustrated  by 
gestures   that  "define"   or  " indicate,"  rather   than  "re- 
veal."    Its  tone,   likewise,  is   thinner  and   more   pointed 
than  that  of  formal  proposition. 

Example.  —  "  Rhythm  must  be  distinguished  from  meter." 

3.  Logically  Connected,  Weighty,  or  Conclusive  Thought. 
This  class  may  be  divided  thus :  — 

(a)  Comprehensive  or  generalized  thought,  character- 
ized by  breadth,  fullness,  a  large  suggestiveness. 

Example.  —  "  What,  then,  is  the  true  and  peculiar  principle  of  the 
American  Revolution,  and  of  the  systems  of  government  which  it  has 
confirmed  and  established  ?  " 

(6)  Logically  connected  thought,  blending  the  elements 
of  transition,  definition,  and  weight.  Its  pure  type  is  found 
in  a  chain  of  reasoning. 

Example.  —  It  need  not  surprise  us,  that,  under  circumstances  less 
auspicious,  political  revolutions  elsewhere,  even  when  well  intended, 
have  terminated  differently.  It  is,  indeed,  a  great  achievement,  it 
is  the  master-work  of  the  world,  to  establish  governments  entirely 
popular  on  lasting  foundations;  nor  is  it  easy,  indeed,  to  introduce 
the  popular  principle  at  all  into  governments  to  which  it  has  been 
altogether  a  stranger.  It  cannot  be  doubted,  however,  that  Europe 
has  come  out  of  the  contest  in  which  she  has  been  so  long  engaged, 
with  greatly  superior  knowledge,  and,  in  many  respects,  in  a  highly 
improved  condition.  Whatever  benefit  has  been  acquired  is  likely 
to  be  retained,  for  it  consists  mainly  in  the  acquisition  of  more 
enlightened  ideas.  And  although  kingdoms  and  provinces  may  be 
wrested  from  the  hands  that  hold  them,  in  the  same  manner  they 
were  obtained ;  although  ordinary  and  vulgar  power  may,  in  human 
affairs,  be  lost  as  it  has  been  won ;  yet  it  is  the  glorious  prerogative 
of  the  empire  of  knowledge,  that  what  it  gains  it  never  loses.  On 


CASES   OF  FORMULATION.  39 

the  contrary,  it  increases  by  the  multiple  of  its  own  power ;  all  its 
ends  become  means;  all  its  attainments,  helps  to  new  conquests.  Its 
whole  abundant  harvest  is  but  so  much  seed  wheat,  and  nothing  has 
limited,  and  nothing  can  limit,  the  amount  of  ultimate  product.  — 
WEBSTER. 

(tf)   Conclusive  or  summarizing  thought. 

Example.  —  Thus  the  great  principle  of  your  Revolutionary 
fathers,  and  of  your  Pilgrim  sires,  was  the  rule  of  his  life  —  the  love 
of  liberty  protected  by  law EVERETT  on  Lafayette. 

This  type  (3)  is  colored  with  emotion,  or  energy,  or 
both.  Its  pantomimic  representation  is  the  attitude  of 
force  in  repose,  animation,  or  physical  support,  accom- 
panied often  by  the  double  "revealing,"  the  "affirming," 
or  the  "supporting"  gesture. 

Prepositional  matter  requires  slow  movement  to  typify 
the  graver  importance  and  weight.  The  voice  is  the 
strongest,  fullest,  deepest,  most  suggestive  of  ellipsis,  and 
of  recapitulation,  condensation,  and  hearty  appreciation  of 
the  thought. 

The  vocal  element  of  "  quantity "  -  prolongation  of 
sounds  —  is  here  of  especial  use. 

Expansive  Paraphrasing  will  be  helpful  in  these  differ- 
ent types  of  prepositional  matter,  since  they  are  in  them- 
selves condensative  rather  than  amplifying. 

III.     TRANSITION. 

In  Transitional  Matter  is  included  whatever  merely 
connects  one  division,  paragraph,  or  sentence  with  another. 
Connecting  the  two  thoughts  between  which  it  stands,  it 
assumes  at  least  one  of  them,  usually  the  first,  to  be  al- 
ready in  the  mind.  Hence  more  rapid  movement  and  a 


40  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

lighter  tone  will  be  allowable,  especially  in  the  first  part 
of  the  transition.  Toward  its  close  the  transitional  pas- 
sage will  often  merge  into  prepositional,  as  it  approaches 
newer  or  more  important  matter. 

There  will  generally  be  a  change  in  the  attitude  of  the 
body,  often  in  the  position  on  the  floor.  This  change 
typifies  the  transition  in  thought,  and  occurs  during  the 
transitional  words. 

The  body  in  its  position  and  movements  should  indi- 
cate the  attitude  of  the  mind  and  the  progress  of  the 
thought. 


NOTES   ON   CHAPTER   IV. 

CASES  OF  FORMULATION. 
NOTE  1. 

The  student  should  analyze  and  classify  many  cases  of  Introduc- 
tion, Proposition,  and  Transition.  Abundant  material  may  be  found  in 
classic  and  modern  literature,  especially  in  the  works  of  the  great  ora- 
tors. More  important  still  is  the  noting  of  effects  in  actual  speaking  as 
heard  by  the  student  from  platform,  pulpit,  bar,  and,  as  well,  in  intelli- 
gent and  purposeful  conversation. 

NOTE  2. 

The  following  passages  from  the  Bible  are  especially  commended 
to  theological  students  and  ministers.  They  may,  however,  be  used 
with  equal  profit  by  the  general  student. 

1.  INTRODUCTION.  —  Classify  the  following  introductions  according 
to  the  types  described,  and  read  aloud,  noting  the  differences  in  tone 
required  by  the  different  types  :  — 

Gen.  i.  1-2,  xviii.  1-3,  xxiv.  35;  Deut.  i.  5-8,  xxxi.  2,  14;  Jud.  viii. 
2-3,  ix.  7;  2  Sam.  xii.  1,  xiv.  5-7;  Isa.  i.  2,  x.  5;  Jer.  xi.  1,  2;  John  i.  1-18, 
iii.  1-2,  vi.  2-6,  vi.  26 ;  Acts  i.  16,  ii.  14,  v.  35,  vii.  2,  x.  35,  xiii.  16,  xv.  7, 14, 
xvii.  22-23,  xx.  18,  xxi.  20-22,  xxii.  1,  xxiii.  1,  26-27,  xxiv.  2,  10. 

Classify  the  introductions  to  all  the  Epistles. 


CASES   OF  FORMULATION.  41 

2.  PROPOSITION.  —  Classify  according  to  the  types  described,  and 
read  carefully  :  — 

Matt.  v.  2-11,  x.  24,  37,  xv.  11,  xvi.  25,  xix.  9;  John  i.  1,  6-7,  37,  iii.  3, 
iv.  24,  v.  25,  26,  vi.  29,  35^0,  viii.  12,  ix.  31,  x.  1 ;  Acts  ii.  29-36,  iii.  22-25, 
v.  39,  x.  34-35. 

Find  and  classify  the  propositional  matter  in  Rom.  i.-x.  and  in 
Heb.  i.-xi. 

3.  TRANSITIONS.  —  Note  transitions  between  the  propositional  pas- 
sages cited  above,  and  read  aloud,  carefully  observing  changes  in  move- 
ment and  in  volume  of  tone. 


CHAPTER   V. 

GROUPING. 

Analysis Necessity  of  grouping  to  secure  clearness  of  state- 
ment. Elements  must  be  separated.  The  thought  unit  is 
not  necessarily  coincident  with  the  grammatical  unit.  The 
test  is  in  mind's  reception.  Different  kinds  of  pauses, 
corresponding  with  kinds  of  groups,  simple  and  complex. 
Hendiadys  is  important.  Grammatical,  elliptical,  and 
prosodial  pause.  Euphonic  groupings  in  prose  give  effects 
similar  to  meter  in  poetry. 

Necessity  of  Grouping.  —  Clearness  of  statement  is 
largely  effected  by  the  measurement  of  the  words  in  phrases 
or  groups.  Every  element  in  the  sentence  must  be  sepa- 
rated appreciably  from  the  other  elements,  the  length  of 
pause  being  dependent  on  the  length  and  importance  of 
the  elements. 

"  Element "  here  means  a  though trunit.  It  may,  or  it 
may  not,  coincide  with  the  grammatical  unit.  The  test  is 
found  in  the  mind's  reception  of  the  ideas,  images,  thoughts, 
or  inferences  conveyed.  What  constitutes  an  element  may 
often  be  determined  by  inquiring  whether  the  thought  is 
here  presented  for  the  first  time  or  not.  Matter  that  is 
repeated,  resumptive,  or  easily  taken  for  granted,  will  admit 
of  much  larger  and  freer  groupings  than  that  which  is  new 
or  explanatory. 

Principle  of  Grouping.  —  Grouping  is  effected  by  pauses 
or  momentary  cessations  of  sound  between  elements. 

42 


GROUPING.  43 

1.  Elements  that  are  simple,  and  placed  close  together, 
have  the  slightest  pause  separation. 

2.  Elements  somewhat  complex,  or  slightly  separated 
in  the  structure,  require  somewhat  greater  pause. 

8.  Elements  very  complex,  or  widely  separated  in  the 
sentence,  must  have  longer  pause. 

,  Hyphens  might  be  used  to  indicate  that  the  words 
between  which  they  are  placed  form  together  a  single  ele- 
ment, like  a  compound  word. 

Example.  —  "  The  wisdom  of  the  advice  he  has  given  —  '  Count- 
ten-before-venting-your-anger  '  —  is  most  obvious." 

Hendiadys  is  an  important  case.  When  several  ele- 
ments are  joined  together,  the  first  point  to  be  determined 
is  whether  each  one  is  to  be  received  as  a  separate  item, 
or  whether  a  single  image  or  thought  is  to  be  conveyed 
through  the  combined  terms.  Thus :  - 

"  I  should  not  see  the  sandy  hour-glass  run, 
But  I  should  think  of  shallows  and  of  flats." 

Here  "shallows  and  flats"  probably  constitute  the 
double  name  of  a  single  object. 

"  In  the  morning  it  flourisheth  and  groweth  up  [grows  flourish- 
ingly] ;  in  the  evening  it  is  cut  down  and  withereth  [dies]." 

Kinds  of  Pauses.  —  1.  G-rammatical ;  merely  marking 
the  grouping  of  words  into  constituent  elements  of  the 
sentence.  This  is  the  most  mechanical  of  all,  being  a 
mere  cessation  of  speech. 

2.  Rhetorical  or  Elliptic  ;  affording  space  for  the  more 
positive  elements  of  expression  to  accomplish  their  work. 
These  are  suggestive  pauses. 


44  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

3.  Prosodial : — 

(a)  The  pause  occurring  between  feet.  These  require, 
for  the  most  part,  suspension  of  the  voice,  a  slight  linger- 
ing on  the  last  syllable  of  the  poetic  foot. 

(6)  The  csesural  pause.  This  occurs  at  or  near  the 
middle  of  the  line,  between  words.  Sometimes  it  may 
come  between  the  syllables  of  a  poetic  foot. 

(e)  The  verse  pause.  This  occurs  at  the  end  of  the 
line.  It  is  always  to  be  observed,  if  the  poetic  form  of 
the  composition  is  to  be  expressed. 

4.  Euphonic  or  Rhythmic  Groupings  in  Prose.     These 
are  semi-poetic.     The  same  or  similar  elements  of  imagi- 
nation, emotion,  dignity,  and  nobility  demand  similar  regu- 
larity of  movement  in  poetic  prose  as  in  poetry  itself. 

Find  and  make  examples  of  all  kinds  of  pauses. 

[See,  also,  NOTES  on  this  chapter  for  illustrations.] 


NOTES   ON   CHAPTER  V. 

ON   GROUPING. 

NOTE  1. 

Grouping  will  be  found  to  be  affected,  directly  or  indirectly,  by 
nearly  every  principle  of  Rhetoric.  The  few  cases  given  here  are 
enough  to  show  that  punctuation  depends  on  the  logical  grouping  quite 
as  much  as  grouping  depends  on  the  punctuation;  and  that  the  most 
solid  basis  for  criticism  of  punctuation  is  just  such  analysis  of  the 
thought  as  is  required  for  intelligent  vocal  interpretation. 

Rewrite  the  following  passage,  dividing  it  into  paragraphs,  adding 
punctuation,  and  indicating  the  vocal  grouping. 

"  Our  opponents  have  charged  us  with  being  the  promoters  of  a  dan- 
gerous excitement  they  have  the  effrontery  to  say  that  I  am  the  friend  of 
public  disorder  I  am  one  of  the  people  surely  if  there  be  one  thing  in  a 


GROUPING.  45 

free  country  more  clear  than  another  it  is  that  any  one  of  the  people  may 
speak  openly  to  the  people  if  I  speak  to  the  people  of  their  rights  and  indi- 
cate to  them  the  way  to  secure  them  if  I  speak  of  their  danger  to  monopo- 
lists of  power  am  I  not  a  wise  counselor  both  to  the  people  and  to  their 
rulers  suppose  I  stood  at  the  foot  of  Vesuvius  or  ^Etna  and  seeing  a  hamlet 
or  a  homestead  planted  on  its  slope  I  said  to  the  dwellers  in  that  hamlet  or 
in  that  homestead  you  see  that  vapor  which  ascends  from  the  summit  of 
the  mountain  that  vapor  may  become  a  dense  black  smoke  that  will  obscure 
the  sky  you  see  the  trickling  of  lava  from  the  crevices  in  the  side  of  the 
mountain  that  trickling  of  lava  may  become  a  river  of  fire  you  hear  that 
muttering  in  the  bowels  of  the  mountain  that  muttering  may  become  a  bel- 
lowing thunder  the  voice  of  a  violent  convulsion  that  may  shake  half  a 
continent  you  know  that  at  your  feet  is  the  grave  of  great  cities  for  which 
there  is  no  resurrection  as  histories  tell  us  that  dynasties  and  aristocracies 
have  passed  away  and  their  names  have  been  known  no  more  forever  if  1 
say  this  to  the  dwellers  upon  the  slope  of  the  mountain  and  if  there  comes 
hereafter  a  catastrophe  which  makes  the  world  to  shudder  am  I  responsible 
for  that  catastrophe  I  did  not  build  the  mountain  or  fill  it  with  explosive 
materials  I  merely  warned  the  men  that  were  in  danger  so  now  it  is  not  I 
who  am  stimulating  men  to  the  violent  pursuit  of  their  acknowledged  con- 
stitutional rights  the  class  which  has  hitherto  ruled  in  this  country  has 
failed  miserably  it  revels  in  power  and  wealth  whilst  at  its  feet  a  terrible 
peril  for  its  future  lies  the  multitude  which  it  has  neglected  if  a  class  has 
failed  let  us  try  the  nation  that  is  our  faith  that  is  our  purpose  that  is  our 
cry  let  us  try  the  nation  this  it  is  which  has  called  together  these  countless 
numbers  of  the  people  to  demand  a  change  and  from  these  gatherings  sub- 
lime in  their  vastness  and  their  resolution  I  think  I  see  as  it  were  above  the 
hilltops  of  time  the  glimmerings  of  the  dawn  of  a  better  and  a  nobler  day 
for  the  country  and  for  the  people  that  I  love  so  well." 

Let  each  student  compose  a  passage,  and  another  punctuate  it. 

NOTE  2. 

The  student  should  at  this  point  practice,  under  competent  guid- 
ance, Prosodial  Groupings,  taking  especial  pains  to  locate  caesura  in 
long  lines:  — 

(a)    "Though  the  mills  of  God  grind  slowly,  ||  yet  they  grind  exceed- 
ing small, 

Though  with  patience  He  stands  waiting,  ||  with  exactness  grinds 
He  all;" 

and  to  mark  expressively  the  verse  pause  in  the  case  of  "  run  on 
lines  : '' 

(6)  "And  the  stately  ships  go  on 

To  their  haven  under  the  hill." 


46  PRINCIPLES  OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

REMARKS:  1.  It  is  not  needful  to  make  falling  slide  at  verse  pauses, 
nor  to  make  an  abrupt  break.  The  verse  can  be  marked  by  a  slight 
prolongation,  or  suspension,  of  voice,  as  well  as  by  an  actual  stop. 

2.  The  musical  element  is  the  first  thing  in  poetry.     Otherwise  the 
thought  would  have  been  expressed  in  prose. 

3.  The  truly  poetical  reading  of  verse  never  necessarily  interferes 
with  intellectual  rendering  of  the  thought.     The  elements  of  inflection, 
stress,  and  quality  have  their  full  force,  as  in  prose.     Pauses  are,  for 
the  most  part,  arranged  for  by  the  very  structure  of  the  poetry. 

NOTE  3. 

RHYTHMIC   GROUPING   JN  PROSE. 

Examples.  —  I  appeal  to  you  by  the  graves  in  which  our  common 
ancestors  repose  ....  in  many  an  ancient  village  church  yard,  where 
daisies  grow  on  the  turf-covered  graves,  and  venerable  yew  trees  cast 
over  them  their  solemn  shade.  —  HALL. 

Loud  shouts  of  rejoicing  shall  then  be  heard  ....  when  the  tri- 
umphs of  a  great  enterprise  usher  in  the  day  of  the  triumphs  of  the 
cross  of  Christ.  —  GOUGH. 

A  mighty  cry  of  joy  went  forth  through  all  the  sky.  — DICKENS. 

REMARKS.  —  1.  Observance  of  this  rhythmic  element  in  reading 
will  favorably  react  on  diction.  2.  Exaggerated  dignity  is  never  to  be 
sought  by  this  means.  3.  "  Sing-song,"  or  scanning,  is  not  to  prevail. 
4.  Avoid  too  much  prolongation  and  swell.  5.  Evenness  and  dignity 
form  the  essence  of  this  property. 

NOTE  4. 

Find  cases  of  Hendiadys  in  the  following  passages.  When  possi- 
ble translate  the  hcndiadys  into  a  single  term:  — 

Gen.  i.  2,  ii.  24,  xiv.  19,  xxv.  34,  xxviii.  12,  xxxv.  11,  xxxix.  20,  xliii. 
8,  xlvi.  31;  Ex.  iv.  4,  ix.  1;  Lev.  xi.  3;  Num.  xxii.  7,  xxx.  15;  Deut.  xxxi. 

1,  xxxii.  44;  Josh.  vii.  2,  xiii.  1;  Judg.  ix.  50,  xv.  8;  Ruth  iii.  15;  1  Sam. 
vii.  6;  2  Sam.  vi.  2;  1  Kings  vii.  13;  Ps.  vii.  15,  xl.  1,  Iv.  8,  xc.  6;  Jer.  ii. 

2,  vi.  21;  Mark  iv.  27,  v.  38,  ix.  27,  xi.  4;  Luke  v.  18,  vii.  36,  x.  25;  John 
iv.  35,  ix.  7,  x.  12;  Acts  xiii.  16;  1  Cor.  xv.  24. 

Find  other  cases. 

Examples  of  kinds  of  Pauses. 

1.    Grammatical  Pause. 

Gen.  xxii.  3;  Ex.  xi.  6,  xxxv.  22;  Judg.  xiii.  6;  Ruth  ii.  19;  Is^  vi 
4,  xxi.  13,  xxv.  5,  xxvii.  1,  xxxiii.  21,  xli.  7;  Jer.  xvii.  25,  Ii.  24;  Ezek  xl 
9;  Hos.  vii.  16;  Amos  iv.  6,  v.  3,  ix.  3,  15;  Jonah  ii.  2;  Mic.  iv.  4;  Zepb 


GROUPING.  47 

iii.  12;  Matt.  ii.  19,  x.  15,  xii.  45,  xxi.  23;  Luke  vi.  15,  22,  viii.  5,  12,  ix.  39; 
Acts  v.  12,  ix.  7;  Rom.  iv.  11-12,  1  Cor.  x.  13,  xv.  3;  2  Cor.  iv.  2;  Eph.  iii. 
16;  Heb.  v.  7,  vii.  18-22. 

2.    Rhetorical  or  Elliptical  Pause.     Supply  the  Ellipses. 

Gen.  xxxvii.  31,  xlv.  3;  Ex.  xxxii.  32;  Judg.  xi.  35;  1  Kings  xviii. 
21,  xix.  4,  10;  Esth.  iv.  17;  Ps.  viii.  3-4;  Eccl.  xii.  8;  Isa.  i.  2,  24,  viii. 
19,  x.  5,  xliii.  1,  Ix.  2,  Ixvi.  1;  Matt,  xxiii.  38,  xxvi.  38-39;  John  vii.  27,  xi. 
43;  Kom.  vii.  24  1  Cor.  vi.  2-3,  xii.  19,  xv.  13;  2  Cor.  xi.  1. 

Find  other  examples. 

NOTE  5. 

Ministers  and  theological  students  will  find  many  of  the  finest  poetic 
examples  in  the  language  in  any  good  hymn-book. 

Cases  of  grouping  for  prose  rhythm  will  be  found  in  many  passages 
of  the  Old  Testament  history,  in  the  Psalms  and  Prophets,  and  not  less 
in  many  emotional  passages  in  the  New  Testament,  particularly  in  the 
Epistles  and  the  Revelation.  A  few  cases  may  suffice  for  illustration. 
Note  the  semi-poetic  grouping. 

1  Chron.  xxix.  11-19;  Job  xxxviii.;  Ps.  xc.-civ. ;  Isa.  xl.;  1  Cor.  xiii. ; 
1  Thess.  iv.  13-18;  Heb.  xiii.  20-21;  1  John  iii.  1,  2;  Jude,  24,  25;  Rev.  iv. 
10,  11,  v.  11-14,  vi.  10-17,  xx.  11-15,  xxii.  17-21. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

DISCRIMINATION. 

Analysis Discrimination  compared  with  Formulation.  It 

deals  with  relations  of  facts  and  truths.  It  is  expressed 
by  inflection,  Jvvhich  is  an  intentional  variation  of  tone  dur- 
ing the  utterance  of  an  element.  Completeness:  Finality, 
conclusiveness,  wide  intervals.  Momentary  completeness, 
expressing  importance  of  an  idea  or  elliptical  construction; 
small  interval  and  pause.  The  Loose  sentence  is  a  typical 
case ;  Incompleteness  :  subordination  a  "  matter  of  course," 
small  intervals ;  Anticipation,  a  matter  of  curiosity ;  rising 
third.  The  Periodic  sentence  is  a  typical  case. 

Completeness  and  Incompleteness  are  best  paraphrased 
by  reconstruction  :  Implied  forms  of  Incompleteness ;  Neg- 
ative or  non-affirmative  statement,  including  concession, 
inability,  unwillingness,  triviality,  obviousness,  and  antici- 
patory member  of  antithesis. 

Implied  negation  is  paraphrased  by  translating  into 
grammatical  negative.  Doubt  or  uncertainty ;  expressed 
by  the  bodily  attitude  of  hesitation  and  by  suspended  voice. 

Doubt  is  paraphrased  expansively  by  showing  balancing 
motives :  Interrogation,  direct  and  literal,  symbolized  by  a 
rising  fifth;  indirect  or  figurative,  usually  by  a  falling 
slide.  Supplication,  weakness  looking  up  to  strength,  or 
fear  to  protecting  power ;  shown  by  a  sensitive  voice  and 
by  a  rising  slide  with  slight  swell.  Cases  of  affectionate 
entreaty  belong  to  supplication. 

Assumption  is  really  a  negative  element.  Assertion  pro- 
duces distinctive  emphasis  in  connected  relations,  and  is 
shown  by  the  Continuative  falling  slide.  Assumption  and 
Assertion  are  paraphrased  by  inversion.  Complex  relations ; 
double  motive,  double  motion.  Comparison  or  contrast 
with  affirmation  shown  by  falling  circumflex.  Comparison 
or  contrast  with  incompleteness,  shown  by  wave.  Affir- 

48 


DISCRIMINATION.  49 

mation  with  incompleteness,  shown  by  rising  circumflex. 
Complex  Relations  may  be  paraphrased  by  separating  com- 
plex elements  into  their  component  parts. 

DISCRIMINATION  has  much  in  common  with  formula- 
tion. Both  are  prevailingly  intellective  ;  both,  therefore, 
naturally  precede  the  emotional  and  volitional. 

In  practical  analysis  both  are  intima^efy  connected, 
especially  by  the  analogous  and  closely  related  elements 
of  grouping  and  inflection;  expressional  grouping  being 
the  especial  symbol  of  formulation,  as  inflection  is  of 
discrimination.  Formulation  and  discrimination  together 
give  the  outline  of  the  thought,  the  facts,  the  truths,  which 
must  form  the  basis  for  all  emotion  and  volition.  The 
intellective  element  is  to  the  imaginative,  emotional,  and 
volitional  what  form  is  to  color  in  painting.  Form  is  the 
chief  requisite  for  expression  ;  and  all  coloring  that  ig- 
nores the  form,  or  is  inconsistent  with  it,  becomes  not 
only  expressionless,  but  disappointing  and  misleading. 

Formulation  deals  properly  with  larger  or  smaller 
wholes;  discrimination  is  concerned  rather  with  the  rela- 
tions of  parts. 

Discrimination  deals  with  the  logical  properties  of  the 
subject-matter ;  and  the  study  of  it  is  designed  to  develop 
logical  properties  of  thinking  as  concerned  in  utterance. 

Relations  of  facts  and  ideas  are  emphasized  in  discrimi- 
native utterance.  Subjectively,  then,  this  type  of  utter- 
ance indicates  the  speaker's  purpose  to  cause  the  listener 
to  discern  such  relations  ;  objectively,  it  is  that  property 
in  the  utterance  which  serves  to  express  them  directly  or 
by  implication. 

These  relations  are  chiefly  completeness  or  incomplete- 
ness of  thought,  comparison  and  contrast. 


50  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

Inflection  is  the  vocal  means  of  expressing  discrimina- 
tion. Inflection  may  be  defined  as  a  variation  in-  pitch 
occurring  upon  single  words  or  phrases,  and  recognized 
by  the  ear  as  distinctive  slides  or  circumflexes.  Inflection 
is  thus  distinguished  from  melody,  which  belongs  to  sen- 
tences and  paragraphs. 

Inflection  is  an  intentional  variation  of  tone  designed  to 
call  particular  attention  to  the  relation  of  the  element  on 
which  it  occurs. 

After  movement  and  grouping,  treated  under  Formula- 
tion, the  expressive  factor  of  inflection  is  the  most  vital  to 
the  intellectual  and  logical  properties  of  utterance. 

I.     O<8ifl£IJjj£ENESS    AND    INCOMPLETENESS    OF    THOUGHT. 

These  are  the  most  logical  and  practical  relations  gov- 
erning intonation. 

1 .    Completeness.  —  This  Includes  :  — 

(a)    Finality,  or  the  end  of  thought. 

It  gives  more  or  less  of  conclusive  force,  gathering  up, 
or  summarizing,  preceding  facts  or  thoughts,  and  some- 
times forming  climax. 

Example.  —  The  party  of  Freedom  will  certainly  prevail.  It  may 
be  by  entering  into  and  possessing  one  of  the  old  parties,  filling  it 
with  its  own  strong  life  ;  or  it  may  be  by  drawing  to  itself  the  good 
and  true  from  both  who  are  unwilling  to  continue  in  a  political  com- 
bination when  it  ceases  to  represent  their  convictions ;  but,  in  one 
way  or  the  other,  its  ultimate  triumph  is  sure.  Of  this  let  no  man 
doubt.  —  SUMNER.  ' 

(5)  Momentary  Completeness.  This  applies  to  any 
clause,  phrase,  or  even  word,  which  has,  for  any  reason, 
enough  separate  force  to  constitute,  at  the  moment,  an  en- 


DIS  C  HIM  IN  A  TION.  5 1 

tire  thought,  and  to  call  for  a  separate  affirmation  of  the 
mind.     This  may  arise,  — 

(1)  From  its   logical   importance,  requiring  a  strong 
affirmative  emphasis. 

(2)  From   an   elliptical    construction  —  one  in  which 
each  part  could  be  reasonably  expanded  into  a  complete 
proposition. 

Example  of  (1)  would  be  this  sentence  from  Webster :  — 

"  It  comes,  if  it  come  at  all,  like  the  outbreaking  of  a  fountain 
from  the  earth,  or  the  bursting  forth  of  volcanic  fires,  with  sponta- 
neous,  original,  native  force." 

Here  the  ideas  of  spontaneity,  originality,  nativeness,  are  each  so 
important  to  the  thought  that  the  mind  is  called  upon  to  make  a 
separate  affirmation  upon  each  one. 

Examples  of  (2)  are  found  in  some  of  the  connected  clauses  in 
this  passage  from  Byron's  Dream  of  Darkness. 

"  I  had  a  dream,  which  was  not  all  a  dream. 
The  bright  sun  was  extinguished,  and  the  stars 
Did  wander,  darkling,  in  the  eternal  space, 
Rayless  and  pathless,  and  the  icy  earth 
Swung  blind  and  blackening  in  the  moonless  air 
Morn  came  and  went  —  and  came,  and  brought  no  day, 
And  men  forgot  their  passions  in  the  dread 
Of  this  their  desolation  ;  and  all  hearts 
Were  chilled  into  a  selfish  prayer  for  light." 

The  "loose"  sentence  presents  a  typical  case  of  mo- 
mentary completeness,  each  added  clause  or  element  giv- 
ing a  separate,  subjoined  thought. 

In  the  following  cases  the  period  mark  inclosed  in 
bracket,  [.],  indicates  the  place  at  which  the  sentence 
might  close ;  and  the  words  in  parenthesis  are  those  which 
might  be  supplied  in  constructing  separate  complete  prop- 
ositions. The  reconstruction  suggests  the  probable  process 
of  thought. 


52  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

"  The  next  day  he  voted  for  that  repeal  [.],  and  he  would  have 
spoken  for  it  too  [.],  if  an  illness  had  not  prevented  it." 

"  The  Englishman  in  America  will  feel  that  this  is  slavery  —  that 
it  is  legal  slavery,  will  be  no  compensation,  either  to  his  feelings  or 
his  understanding." 

The  Englishman  in  America  will  feel  that  this  is  sla- 
very [.].  (The  mere  fact)  that  it  is  legal  slavery  will  (in 
his  estimation)  be  no  compensation  (at  all).  (It  will  not 
be  (in  any  degree)  satisfactory)  either  to  his  feelings  or 
his  understanding. 

Completeness  is  marked  in  the  voice  by  a  falling  slide ; 
that  indicating  finality  usually  descends  at  least  a  fifth 
(from  sol  down  to  c?o),  and  is  preceded  by  a  more  or  less 
distinct  rising  melody.  This  cadential  melody  may  carry 
the  voice  so  high  in  pitch  that  the  falling  slide  will  be  as 
great  as  an  octave.  The  indication  of  momentary  com- 
pleteness is  also  a  falling  slide,  varying  in  extent  from  a 
third  to  a  fifth,  but  not  so  marked  as  that  of  finality,  and 
usually  not  preceded  by  any  special  rising  melody. 

In  the  following  example  note  momentary  completeness 
on  uman,"  "woman,"  "child,"  and  finality  on  the  climac- 
teric word  "beast."  Thus:  — 

They  saw  not  one  man,  not  one  woman,  not  one  child, 

b 

footed  e 

four  a 

one  & 

not  t. 

It  is  especially  important  to  study  the  relation  of 
momentary  completeness  in  connection  with  dependent 
clauses.  As  a  rule,  a  definitive  clause  does  not  stand  in 
the  relation  of  momentary  completeness,  but  in  that  of 


DISCRIMINATION.  53 

subordination  or  anticipation.  A  supplemental  clause,  on 
the  other  hand,  is  distinctively  complete.  This  relation  is 
not  always  shown,  either  by  the  punctuation,  or  by  exact 
use  of  relative  pronouns.  In  strictness,  who  and  which,  as 
already  said,  should  always  mark  supplemental  relations ; 
that,  definitive.  Considerations  of  euphony,  however,  often 
overrule  grammatical  and  rhetorical  principles.  The  prob- 
lem in  regard  to  dependent  clauses  is;  to  decide  whether 
the  subordinate  clause  contains  additional  thought,  or  only 
modifying  thought.  The  best  practical  test  will  be  found 
in  paraphrasing.  If  a  dependent  clause  is  truly  definitive, 
it  may  be  reduced  to  a  brief  element,  —  often  to  a  single 
word,  which  may  be  incorporated  in  the  first  clause. 

Example.  —  Lafayette  was  intrusted  by  Washington  with  all 
kinds  of  services  .  .  .  the  laborious  and  complicated,  which  requires 
skill  and  patience  ;  the  perilous,  that  demanded  nerve.  —  EVERETT. 

In  this  example  it  is  obvious  that  the  clause  introduced 
by  "which"  and  the  one  beginning  with  "that"  stand  in 
precisely  the  same  relation,  the  change  being  made  for 
euphony.  It  is  obvious  also  that  both  dependent  clauses 
are  supplemental  rather  than  definitive.  In  both  of  these 
clauses,  therefore,  there  is  an  added  thought,  and  this 
gives  the  relation  of  momentary  completeness  at  the  words 
"  complicated  "  and  "  perilous." 

The  ear,  under  the  guidance  of  the  logical  and  rhetori- 
cal insight,  gives  a  much  more  sensitive  and  more  accurate 
punctuation  than  can  be  indicated  by  printer's  marks  or 
grammarian's  rules.  Not  the  words,  nor  the  grammatical 
elements,  nor  the  customary  and  traditional  rendering,  de- 
termine grouping  or  inflection,  but  rather  the  speaker's 
immediate  purpose  at  the  moment  of  the  utterance. 


54  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

The  principle  of  momentary  completeness  is  strikingly 
exemplified  in  the  case  of  a  "  division  of  the  question  "  in 
parliamentary  proceedings.  Division  is  called  for  because 
each  item  is  considered  as  separately  important  enough  to 
demand  the  entire  attention.  The  same  is  often  true  in  the 
announcement  of  a  proposition  containing  several  different 
elements,  or  of  a  text  of  Scripture  suggesting  many  sepa- 
rate thoughts. 

2.  Grammatical  and  Formal  Incompleteness.  —  This  in- 
cludes the  unfinished  and  the  unassertive.  The  mind  of 
the  speaker  is  viewing  the  thought  that  is,  for  the  moment, 
before  his  attention,  either  as  obviously  connected  with 
something  to  follow,  or  as  being  incapable  or  unworthy  of 
a  full  affirmative  statement.  Some  obvious  cases  of  incom- 
pleteness are  the  following :  - 

(a)  Subordination,  grammatical  and  rhetorical.  When 
the  subordinate  element  precedes  the  emphatic  part,  it  is 
expressed  by  a  slightly  rising  slide,  usually  about  that  of 
a  musical  second.  For  example  :  — 

"  I  cannot,  by  the  progress  of  the  stars,  give  guess  how  near  to  day." 
"It  never  rains  but  it  pours;  we  got  more  than  we  asked." 

This  type  of  incompleteness  covers  many  cases  of  mere 
enumeration,  or  of  the  most  obvious  pointing  forward,  or 
opening  of  ideas,  in  which  the  thought  simply  leads  on  to 
something  that  is  to  follow.  Its  vocal  symbol  is  a  rising 
slide,  but  only  slightly  rising,  to  point  the  attention  onward 
rather  than  upward  ;  just  as  the  arrow-head  or  finger  on 
a  guide-board  points  the  way.  It  is  usually  accompanied 
by  a  somewhat  rapid,  easy  grouping,  which  indicates  that 
there  is  nothing  in  the  individual  phrases  or  clauses  to  call 
your  attention  or  delay  your  progress. 


DISCRIMINA  TION.  55 

Rhetorical  subordination  has  been  partly  anticipated  in 
the  previous  chapter  under  groupings.  It  is  that  which 
is  taken  for  granted,  coming  as  a  matter  of  course,  some- 
thing well  understood. 

The  relation  of  subordination  is  not  that  of  triviality, 
and  need  not  produce  an  accelerated  movement  nor  a 
much  thinner  tone.  It  should  promote  clearness  of  inter- 
pretation, and  should  secure  a  better  rhythm,  a  gliding  and 
connecting  movement,  which  will  allow  the  principal  ele- 
ments to  stand  out  full  and  distinct. 

Many  clauses  and  elements  that  are  really  subordinate 
follow,  rather  than  precede,  the  emphatic  elements.  These 
appended,  or  supplemental,  subordinate  elements  will  not 
usually  take  rising  slides.  Often  they  will  have  no  dis- 
tinct slides  of  their  own ;  but  will  be  attracted  into  the 
general  melody  of  the  sentence,  which  will  be  determined 
by  the  emphatic  parts. 

Paraphrase  will  often  reveal  the  subordination,  and  in- 
dicate the  proper  inflection. 

(5)  Anticipation,  or  Condition ;  different  from  subor- 
dination by  giving  a  somewhat  more  distinct  and  definite 
preparation. 

Anticipation  implies  more  of  animation,  or  possibly  even 
of  eagerness.  Subordinate  thought  is  a  matter  of  course  ; 
anticipative  thought  is  a  matter  of  curiosity.  For  exam- 
ple :  — 

"  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth 
to  forgive  sins,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go 
unto  thy  house." 

"I  hold  that  he  who  humbly  tries 
To  find  wherein  his  duty  lies, 


56  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

And  finding,  does  the  same,  and  bears 
Its  burdens  lightly,  and  its  cares, 
Is  nobler,  in  his  low  estate, 
Than  crowned  king  or  potentate." 

Most  "  periodic  "  sentences  employ  this  form  of  incom- 
pleteness, which  gives  them  their  character  of  "suspense." 

"  If  you  are  apprehensive  that  the  concession  recommended  to 
you,  though  proper,  should  be  a  means  of  drawing  on  you  further 
but  unreasonable  claims,  —  why  then  employ  your  force  in  support- 
ing that  reasonable  conception  against  those  unreasonable  demands." 

This  relation  of  anticipation  is  expressed  by  a  some- 
what sharper  rising  slide  than  that  which  marks-  subordi- 
nation. Anticipation  usually  employs  the  rising  third. 

Paraphrase.  —  Anticipation,  when  obscure,  can  usu- 
ally be  made  to  appear  in  paraphrase  by  translating  verbs 
into  participles,  putting  apparently  independent  clauses 
into  plainly  dependent  relations,  using  more  subordinate 
connectives,  or  changing  the  punctuation  ;  e.  g.,  Arising 
—  take  up  thy  bed  ;  or,  Arising  and  taking  up  thy  bed  — 
go  unto  thy  house ;  or,  Arise.  Taking  up  thy  bed,  go 
unto  thy  house.  Either  is  a  possible  interpretation  of  the 
sentence. 

Whether  the  items  in  a  series  are  to  be  viewed  in  rela- 
tion of  subordination  or  anticipation,  or  in  that  of  com- 
pleteness, will  often  be  well  tested  by  the  reader's  asking 
himself  this  question :  Do  I,  in  beginning  the  series,  look 
forward  to  the  end,  and  do  I  think  of  each  one  of  these 
items  in  its  relation  to  the  others ;  or,  does  each  one  come 
separately,  receive  my  attention,  and  then  drop  from 
notice  ? 

In  paraphrasing  for  discrimination,  one  of  the  most  im- 


DISCRIMINATION.  57 

portant  devices  will  be  that  reconstruction  and  amplifica- 
tion of  the  text  which  will  reveal  and  justify  the  relation 
we  have  called  "  momentary  completeness."  The  reason 
for  this  is  found  chiefly  in  the  fact  that  the  prevailing 
tendency,  brought  largely  from  the  primary  school,  is 
to  "keep  the  voice  up  till  you  come  to  a  period."  But 
nothing  can  be  more  obvious  than  that  many  phrases  and 
clauses  marked  only  by  a  comma,  and  frequently  by  no 
punctuation  whatever,  are  still  momentarily  complete. 

Authors  differ  greatly  in  the  matter  of  punctuation. 
Victor  Hugo,  for  example,  inclines  to  punctuate  largely 
with  periods,  thus  announcing  to  the  reader  the  separate- 
ness  and  completeness  of  each  element  in  the  thought. 
Notice  this  paragraph :  — 

."  He  sinks  in  two  or  three  inches.  Decidedly  he  is  not  on  the 
right  road ;  he  stops  to  take  his  bearings ;  now  he  looks  at  his  feet. 
They  have  disappeared.  The  sand  covers  them.  He  draws  them 
out  of  the  sand;  he  will  retrace  his^&teps.  He  turns  back,  he  sinks 
in  deeper.  The  sand-eonies  up  to  his  ankles ;  he  pullsTiiTnself  out 
and  throws  himself  to  the  left — _the  sand  half -leg  deep.  He  throws 
himself  to  the  right ;  the  sand  comes_u|)_to.  his  shins. 

His  forehead  decreases,  a  little  hair  flutters  above  the  sand;  a 
hand  comes  to  the  surface  of  the  beach,  moves  and  shakes,  disappears. 
It  is  the  earth-drowning  man.""  The  earth  filled  with  the  ocean  be- 
comes a  trap.  It  presents  itself  like  a  plain,  and  opens  like  a  wave." 

Now  contrast  with  t^his  a  not  dissimilar  passage  by 
Dickens :  — 

"I  wrapped  myself  in  my  clothes  as  quickly  as  I  could,  and  ran 
into  the  street,  where  numbers  of  people  were  before  me,  all  running 
in  one  direction,  —  to  the  beach.  I  ran  the  same  way,  outstripping 
a  good  many,  and  soon  came  facing  the  wild  sea.  Every  appearance 


58  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

it  had  before  presented  bore  the  expression  of  being  swelled;  and 
the  height  to  which  the  breakers  rose,  and  bore  one  another  down, 
and  rolled  in,  in  interminable  hosts,  was  most  appalling."  .  .  . 

A  comparison  of  these  two  passages  shows  that  the 
punctuation  is  neither  definite  nor  quite  self-consistent  in 
either  case.  The  final  decision  as  to  what  constitutes  a 
complete  or  incomplete  element  in  the  thought,  must, 
after  all,  be  made  by  the  reader. 

Study  this  passage  from  Charles  Sprague,  on  the 
American  Indian :  - 

"  As  a  race  they  have  withered  from  the  land.  Their  arrows  are 
broken,  their  springs  have  dried  up,  their  cabins  are  in  the  dust. 
Their  council-fire  has  long  since  gone  out  on  the  shore,  and  their 
war-cry  is  fast  fading  to  the  untrodden  West." 

Each  item  amplifying  the  idea  that  the  race  has  died 
out  might  be  a  complete  sentence,  or  even  a  paragraph. 
It  is  evident  that  if  the  clauses  marked  by  the  commas 
were  read  as  incomplete,  much  of  the  force  would  be 
lost.  Their  completeness  may  appear  thus  :  - 

Their  arrows,  the  weapons  with  which  they  defended  themselves, 
and  the  means  by  which  they  procured  their  livelihood  in  their 
native  forests,  lie  scattered  and  broken.  The  native  springs,  at 
which  they  quenched  their  thirst,  have  been  exposed  by  the  wood- 
man's ax,  and  their  sources  have  been  dried  up.  You  may  search 
for  their  council-fires.  You  will  not  find  one  upon  any  shore.  You 
may  listen  for  their  war-cry.  Its  wild  sound  echoes  no  more. 

Poetry  has  perhaps  more  cases  of  momentary  complete- 
ness ;  and  here  the  danger  of  obscuring  the  sense  by 
failing  to  observe  relations  of  completeness  and  incom- 
pleteness is  vastly  greater,  because  the  rhythmic  force  of 
the  verse  is  likely  to  carry  the  mind  over  many  compact 


DISCRIMINATION.  59 

expressions.     Observe  this  relation  in  the  following  from 
The  Launching  of  the  Ship,  by  Longfellow  :  — 

"  We  know  what  master  laid  thy  keel, 
What  workmen  wrought  thy  ribs  of  steel, 
Who  made  each  mast,  and  sail,  and  rope, 
What  anvils  rang,  what  hammers  beat, 
In  what  a  forge  and  what  a  heat 
Were  shaped  the  anchors  of  thy  hope!" 

Here  we  have  nothing  but  the  comma,  and  sometimes 
not  even  that,  to  separate  elements  which  are  momentarily 
complete.  To  express  this  momentary  completeness  the 
passage  might  be  paraphrased  somewhat  as  follows  :  - 

We  are  well  assured  of  the  masterly  architecture  which  has 
planned  thy  structure.  We  know  well  what  diligent  and  capable 
hands  have  fashioned  together  the  different  parts  of  thy  wondrous 
mechanism.  We  know  what  minute  attention  has  been  given  to 
every  mast.  The  overseeing  eye  has  not  failed  to  note  the  shape 
and  strength  of  each  separate  sail.  Minute  inspection  has  been 
given  to  the  strength  of  every  rope.  In  our  imagination  we  hear 
the  ringing  of  the  anvil.  As  we  listen,  we  catch  the  beat  of  the 
hammer;  we  feel  the  fervid  flame  in  the  forge.  We  know  that  all 
these  forces  were  combined  to  give  thee  thy  perfected  shape. 

Incompleteness,  on  the  other  hand,  may  often  be  em- 
ployed, even  when  we  have  full  punctuation,  with  comma, 
semi-colon,  or  period ;  as  in  these  sentences  :  — 

"  Mahomet  still  lives  in  his  piratical  and  disastrous  influence  in 
the  East ;  Napoleon  still  is  France,  and  France  is  almost  Napoleon ; 
Martin  Luther's  dead  dust  sleeps  at  Wittenberg,  but  Martin  Luther's 
accents  still  ring  through  the  churches  of  Christendom ;  Shake- 
speare, Byron,  and  Milton  all  live  in  their  influence  for  good  or  evil. 
The  apostle  from  his  chair,  the  minister  from  his  pulpit,  the  martyr 
from  his  flaming  shroud,  the  statesman  from  his  cabinet,  the  soldier 
in  the  field,  the  sailor  on  the  deck,  who  all  have  passed  away  to 


60  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

their  graves,  still  live  in  the  practical  deeds  that  they  did,  in  the 
lives  they  lived,  and  in  the  powerful  lessons  that  they  left  behind 
them." 

Now  rearrange  this  paragraph.  See  whether  the 
thought  might  not  be  expressed  as  justly,  or  even  more  so, 
by  changing  the  punctuation,  and  readjusting  relations  of 
completeness  and  incompleteness. 

3.    Indirect  and  Inferential  Forms  of  Incompleteness. 

(cT)    Negative  or  Non-Affirmative  Statement. 

This  is  the  introductory  dismissal  of  a  thought,  as 
being  apart  from  the  present  purpose ;  it  is  the  exclusion 
or  removal  of  unnecessary  or  irrelevant  matter  —  a  clear- 
ing of  the  ground  for  something  positive,  which  is  to  be 
added,  or  which  is  implied.  It  is  not  the  assertion  or  the 
maintenance  of  a  denial,  as  the  arguing  of  the  "  negative  " 
side  in  a  debate. 

Particular  cases  are  — 

Negative  Statement.  Positive  Statement. 

1.  Concession,  vs.  Affirmation. 

2.  Inability  to  assert,  vs.  Knowledge  or  Conviction. 

3.  Unwillingness  to  assert,  vs.  Desire  to  state, 

("  non-committal  "  attitude),  (self -declaration). 

4.  Sense  of  Triviality,  vs.     Sense  of  Seriousness  or  Impor- 

tance. 

5.  Obviousness  or  Familiarity  in     vs.     Indication    of    that    which    is 

thought,  New  or  Unrecognized  in  the 

thought  or  in  its  application. 

6.  The  Anticipatory  or  Negative      vs.     The     Conclusive     or    Positive 

member  of  an  Antithesis,  member  of  an  Antithesis. 

Examples.  —  There  are  other  methods ;  I  do  not  claim  that  this 
is  the  only  one. 

No,  of  course  no  one  believes  that. 


DISCRIMINATION.  61 

"  It  was  not  Moses  that  gave  you  the  bread  out  of  heaven,  but 
my  Father  giveth  you  the  true  bread  out  of  heaven." 

«  I  know  that  he  shall  rise  again  in  the  resurrection  at  the  last 
day.". 

By  a  natural  paradox  this  rhetorical  negation  may  he- 
come  the  strongest  kind  of  affirmation ;  as,  — 

"  We  know  that  this  is  our  son."  , 

Here  the  parents  of  the  blind  man  consider  the  fact 
of  his  relation  to  them  as  so  indisputable  that  it  is  not 
worth  their  while  to  make  an  affirmation  concerning  it ; 
so  do  the  neighbors,  who  said,  "  This  is  he."  But  when 
his  identity  had  been  disputed  by  some  of  the  bystanders, 
it  then  became  necessary  to  make  an  affirmation,  and  so 
the  man  himself  declares,  with  falling  slide,  "  I  dm  he." 
John  ix.  9,  20. 

The  vocal  symbol  of  this  negative  relation  is  a  rising 
slide,  of  about  a  fourth ;  the  more  serious  negation  is 
somewhat  prolonged,  and  the  more  trivial  is  given  with 
a  quicker,  lighter  toss.  The  interval  is  in  either  case 
essentially  the  same. 

Paraphrase  to  Reveal  Negation.  —  A  thought  that  is 
essentially  negative,  but  formally  or  grammatically  posi- 
tive, can  almost  always  be  translated  into  a  sentence  that 
is  technically,  or  grammatically,  negative ;  thus :  - 

"  I  grant  that  there  is  some  truth  in  that "  =  I  do  not  deny  that. 

"  I  know  that  he  shall  rise  in  the  resurrection "  =  I  am  not 
doubting  the  fact  of  the  resurrection. 

"  We  know  that  this  is  our  son  "  =  We  could  not,  of  course,  mis- 
take our  own  son. 

(6)  Doubt.  This  includes  hesitation,  uncertainty,  any 
degree  of  bewilderment  or  confusion;  and  represents  the 


62  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

mind  as  attempting  to  balance  or  decide  between  ideas. 
For  example :  — 

I  may  find  it  necessary.  — 
You  do  not  really  think  it  possible.  — 
I  believe  I  mailed  that  letter  —  on  Saturday. — 
If  thou  consider  rightly  of  the  matter  —  Caesar  hath  had  great 
wrong.  — 

The  bodily  attitude  of  "  hesitation  "  is  the  natural  pan- 
tomimic expression  of  doubt. 

The  vocal  symbol  of  doubt  or  uncertainty  is  a  suspen- 
sion of  voice,  rather  than  a  distinct  rising  slide,  though 
there  may  be  a  slight  tendency  upward.  It  typifies  the 
mind  held  in  suspense  or  abeyance. 

Expansive  Paraphrasing  best  reveals  doubt,  hesitation, 
or  uncertainty,  when  obscure.  This  will  put  into  words 
the  hidden  thoughts  that  give  this  color  to  the  utterance. 
Thus,  when  you  say,  "I  may  find  it  necessary,"  fill  out 
somewhat  like  this :  I  wish  I  could  see  some  other  way  — 
my  personal  feeling  holds  me  back  —  but  duty  seems  to 
move  me  to  it  —  but  —  not  decisively  —  as  yet  —  let  me 
reflect  —  etc.  The  substance  of  the  mood  is  a  nearly 
equal  drawing  in  opposite  directions,  leaving  the  mind  for 
the  time  quite  balanced  between  them. 

(c)  Interrogation,  Direct,  answerable  by  "  yes "  ot 
"no." 

The  mind  is  pictured  as  unformed  in  reference  to  the 
main  thought,  either  confessing  or  professing  ignorance, 
and  as  looking  up  to  superior  intelligence  for  the  antici- 
pated information.  This  is  emptiness  or  incompleteness. 
For  example  :  — 

Is  this  your  sdn  ?  Did  he  say  n6  f 


DISCRIMINA  TION.  t>3 

The  natural  symbol  in  this  direct  and  literal  interroga- 
tion is  a  rising  slide,  almost  invariably  of  a  fifth. 

Rhetorical  or  figurative  interrogation  usually  has  the 
purpose  of  a  strengthened  affirmation.  This  purpose  may 
be  effected  either  by  obviously  asserting  in  tone  what  is 
asked  in  words,  or  by  pretending  ignorance  in  regard  to 
that  which  is  well  known.  The  latter  expects  a  needless 
answer,  the  former  only  demands  the  attention ;  the  latter 
employs  a  rising  slide,  like  a  real  question;  the  former,  a 
falling  slide,  like  an  ordinary  assertion,  or  stronger.  For 
example :  - 

Do  you  deny  this  ? 

This  may  convey  either  of  two  purposes :  - 

(1)  Really  or  apparently  to  gain  information.     It  will 
then  be  expressed  by  a  rising  slide. 

(2)  Strongly  to  assert  the  opposite  of  that  expressed 
in  the  question :    That  is ;   you  do  not,  cannot  deny  it. 
This,  of  course,  will  be  given  with  a  positive  falling  slide. 

The  intonation  will  depend  on  whether  the  speaker 
wishes  —  or  judges  it  best  —  to  assume  the  attitude  of  de- 
manding, challenging,  dominating ;  or  that  of  leading  the 
interlocutor  to  state  for  himself  the  fact  or  truth  to  be 
impressed  upon  him. 

"  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?  " 

"  Had  you  rather  Caesar  were  living,  and  die  all  slaves  ?  " 

These  are  figurative  interrogations,  but  their  strongly 
discriminative  and  conversational  character  seems  to  give 
them  the  tone  of  literal  questions.  Strong  emotion  and 
energy  tend  to  use  falling  slides  in  interrogation. 

Paraphrase.  — In  literary  interpretation,  as  in  conversa- 


64  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

tion,  it  is  often  a  delicate  and  most  important  task  to  de- 
cide whether  the  interrogative  phraseology  really  conveys 
the  purpose  of  a  literal  question,  i.  e.,  to  gain  information, 
or  of  a  figurative,  to  assert  or  challenge.  The  real  intent 
may  best  be  realized  by  restating,  especially  by  changing 
to  declarative  form ;  thus  :  — 

Who  does  not  know  this  =  Every  one  knows  it.  Do  you  not  see 
that  it  is  true  =  You  must  see. 

(d)  Supplication  or  Entreaty.  This  may  seem  to  be- 
long rather  to  Emotion  than  to  Discrimination.  Though 
arising  in  an  emotional  state,  it  as  distinctly  represents  a 
relation  of  the  two  minds  as  does  Interrogation,  and  as  truly 
reveals  essential  incompleteness  on  the  part  of  the  speaker 
as  does  Negation  :  — 

May  I  speak  to  you  a  moment  ? 
Please  listen  to  my  statement. 

This  is  not  "supplicatory."  The  same  is  true  of  many 
prayers ;  they  simply  indicate  the  desire  of  the  speaker, 
and  the  expectation  of  the  promised  answer  or  blessing :  — 

"  Give  ear,  O  Shepherd  of  Israel,  thou  that  leadest  Joseph  like  a 
flock;  thou  that  sittest  upon  the  cherubim,  shine  forth." 

Words  of  real  supplication,  on  the  other  hand,  express 
an  intense  pleading,  which  looks  upward  —  as  weakness  to 
strength ;  fearfulness  or  despair  to  protecting  power  :  - 

"  Will  the  Lord  cast  off  forever  ?  and  will  he  be  favorable  no 
more?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone  forever?  Doth  his  promise  fail 
forever  more?  " 

In  this  the  purpose  is  not  primarily  to  gain  information, 
but  rather  to  express  the  intense  pleading,  the  uplifted,  be- 
seeching attitude  here  intended  by  the  term  "supplication." 


DISCRIMINATION.  65 

And  literature,  especially  the  drama,  contains  many 
such  examples :  — 

"  O  Hubert,  save  me  from  these  bloody  men  !  " 
"Kneel  not,  gentle  Portia." 

A  fine  form  of  supplication  or  entreaty  is  found  in  the 
solicitude  or  tenderness  of  friendship  and  of  love.  Deli- 
cate consideration  may  prevent  the  use  of  definite,  formal 
entreaty  in  the  diction ;  yet  the  real  motive  impelling  the 
utterance,  and  suggesting  its  intonation,  is  often  of  this 
nature. 

Paraphrase.  —  In  such  cases  the  true  intent  may  best  be 
revealed,  and  the  expression  indicated,  by  translating  into 
phraseology  containing  imperatives  and  words  distinctively 
pleading  or  entreating. 

Examples  :  — 

You  look  not  well.  Signior  Antonio, 

Merchant  of  Venice,  I.  i. 

equivalent  to 

I  do  entreat  you  not  to  kill  yourself  with  grief. 

You  have  too  much  respect  upon  the  world ; 
They  lose  it  that  do  buy  it  with  much  care. 

Hid. 
Suggesting,— 

Now  don't  make  that  mistake  I  pray  you. 

"  Your  worth  is  very  dear  in  my  regard." 

This  element  of  entreaty  is,  no  doubt,  the  reason  for 
the  delicate  rising  slide  so  often  heard  in  an  affectionate 
or  cordial  "  Good-by." 

Give  me  your  hand,  Bassanio ;  fare  you  well ! 
Grieve  not  that  I  am  fall'n  to  this  for  you. 

Merchant  of  Venice,  IV.  i. 


66  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

In  such  a  scene  it  seems  an  affront  to  the  sacredness  of 
human  feeling  to  translate  into  words  the  tender  entreaty 
which  is  to  be  heard,  or  rather  felt,  in  the  lingering  caress 
of  the  tone  ;  yet,  it  would  be  heartless  to  render  the 
thought  without  such  interpretation,  virtually  and  some- 
what definitely  made.  When  once  this  habit  of  interpre- 
tation by  translation  or  paraphrase  is  fairly  started,  it  will 
apply  itself,  in  most  cases,  more  delicately  and  more  effec- 
tively in  the  unuttered  translation  which  the  mind  learns 
to  make. 

This  relation  is  symbolized  by  a  rising  slide,  variable 
in  extent  from  third  to  octave.  It  is  usually,  and  almost 
necessarily,  accompanied  by  a  perceptible  swell. 

ASSUMPTION    AND    ASSERTION. 

Another  of  the  implied  forms  of  incompleteness,  and 
one  of  exceeding  importance  in  practical  work,  is  the  case 
of  Assumption  and  Assertion.  Both  represent  relations  of 
incompleteness,  though  usually  not  formal  or  self-evident. 
Nice  discrimination  is  required  in  the  determining  of  these 
relations. 

Assumption  is  the  taking  for  granted  of  that  which 
may  be  supposed  to  be  already  in  the  mind  of  the  listener, 
either  from  having  been  previously  mentioned  or  strongly 
implied,  or  because  it  is  a  matter  of  common  information. 
Assumption  is  thus  a  form  of  negation  resembling  "ob- 
viousness." (Case  5,  p.  60.)  The  difference  between 
them  is  that  obviousness  usually  applies  to  a  sentence  or 
clause  as  a  whole,  whereas  assumption  properly  applies 
to  a  word  or  phrase  in  its  relation  to  other  words  in  the 
same  sentence.  [NOTE  4.] 


DISCRIMINA  TION.  6  7 

Assertion  as  here  used  means  distinctive  or  discrimina- 
tive emphasis  in  connected  relations  (without  separation). 
It  recognizes  the  relative  importance,  rhetorically  and  logi- 
cally, of  elements  whose  grammatical  position  or  whose 
connection  might  tend  to  hide  their  true  significance,  bear- 
ing or  force.  Such  assertive  elements  are  usually  found 
near  the  beginning  or  the  middle  of  a  clause  or  sentence, 
where  no  indication  of  emphasis  is  given  by  punctuation. 
It  becomes  therefore  a  matter  of  interpretation  to  recog- 
nize the  logical  and  expressional  prominence  of  such  ele- 
ments when  left  in  grammatically  subordinate  positions. 

Assumption  and  Assertion  are  thus  correlative  terms, 
each  implying  the  other.  Whenever  we  say  in  this  study 
that  one  element  of  a  sentence  or  one  part  of  a  thought  is 
"assumed,"  we  imply  that  some  other  thing  is  " asserted," 
and  vice  versa.  The  question  is  one  of  discrimination 
as  to  the  relations  between  different  parts  of  a  thought, 
and  of  corresponding  differences  in  the  utterance  of  the 
words  that  stand  for  those  parts  of  the  thought  respec- 
tively. [NOTE  5.] 

Inversion  is  usually  the  best  way  of  paraphrasing  to 
reveal  assumption  and  assertion.  Attention  is  thus  called 
to  the  relations  of  the  elements,  and  the  mind  of  the 
reader  or  speaker  is  compelled  to  decide  as  to  what  shall 
be  asserted  and  what  assumed.  The  assertive  word  or 
phrase  should,  in  the  paraphrase,  be  assigned  to  that  posp 
tion  in  the  sentence  which  will  give  it  greatest  prominence  ; 
as  a  rule  it  will  come  at  the  end;  the  beginning  is  the 
next  most  emphatic  place. 

Changes  of  grammatical  form  will  also  help  in  para- 
phrasing. In  general  the  relation  of  assumption  may  be 
indicated  by  participial  and  prepositional  phrases  and  by 


68  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

dependent  clauses ;  that  of  assertion  by  separate  proposi- 
tion, or  by  inversion.  "  Assumed  "  substantives  may  often 
be  translated  into  pronouns,  indicating  the  reference  to 
the  person  or  thing  previously  mentioned  or  implied :  e.g., 
in  Mark  v.  34,  "  plague  '  (already  in  mind)  may  be 
thought  of  as  "this"  or  -'it." 

Are  not  you  moved,  when  all  the  sway  of  Earth 
Shakes  like  a  thing  unfirm  ?     O  Cicero  ! 
I  have  seen  tempests,  when  the  scolding  winds 
Have  rived  the  knotty  oaks  ;  and  I  have  seen 
Th'  ambitious  ocean  swell  and  rage  and  foam, 
To  be  exalted  with  the  threatening  clouds  : 
But  never  till  to-night,  never  till  now, 
Did  I  go  through  a  tempest  dropping  fire. 

Julius  Ccesar,  I.  iii. 

In  the  first  sentence,  supposing  the  "sway  of  earth" 
and  the  "  shaking  "  to  be  assumed,  — taken  for  granted,  — 
and  the  "you"  to  be  asserted,  these  relations  would  be 
expressed  by  paraphrasing,  thus,  In  all  this  swaying  and 
shaking  of  the  earth  does  nothing  move  you  ?  In  the  fol- 
lowing lines,  supposing  the  words  "tempests,"  "oaks," 
"  ocean,"  and  "  clouds  "  to  be  assumed,  we  might  manifest 
this  assumption  in  a  concessive  clause ;  as,  Though  I  have 
seen  raging  tempests,  and  scolding  winds  that  could  split 
the  oaks,  and  have  seen  the  heaving  ocean  rise  even  to  the 
clouds,  yet  never  until  to-night,  etc. 

On  the  other  hand,  suppose  that  the  same  words  are  to 
be  asserted,  or  particularized ;  then  this  might  be  expressed 
by  separating  the  clauses  thus :  I  have,  in  my  day,  seen 
horrible  tempests ;  I  have  seen  winds  that  would  sever  the 
toughest  oak;  I  have  seen  manifestations  of  power  in  the 
ocean ;  I  have  known  it  toss  the  spray  in  its  fury,  until  it 
seemed  as  if  the  waters  would  reach  even  to  the  clouds. 


DISCRIMINATION.  69 

Take  these  examples  from  First  Cor.  xv. :  - 

Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  principal  assertions  are  upon  the  pronoun  "this," 
and  the  phrase  "flesh  and  blood."  Both  of  these  asser- 
tions may  be  revealed  thus,  Now  the  point  of  the  argu- 
ment, brethren,  is  this  :  The  spiritual  kingdom  cannot  be 
inherited  by  mortal  bodies. 

Verse  20  of  the  same  chapter  is  often  misinterpreted :  — 

But  now  hath  Christ  been  raised  from  the  dead,  the  first  fruits 
of  them  that  are  asleep. 

The  chief  assertion  is  upon  the  verb  "  hath  been  raised ;  " 
and  in  this  verb  the  distinctive  part  is  the  auxiliary  "  hath," 
which  represents  the  action  as  already  completed.  The 
attention  does  not  need  to  be  called  to  the  idea  of  rais- 
ing. The  question  is  as  to  whether  Christ's  resurrection  is 
now  an  accomplished  fact.  To  reveal  this,  the  first  clause 
might  be  paraphrased  thus  :  - 

But  now  the  resurrection  of  Christ  has  taken  place. 

Verse  35,  also,  is  easily  misread :  - 

But  some  man  will  say,  How  are  the  dead  raised,  and  with  what 
manner  of  body  do  they  come  ? 

The  emphasis  is  often  placed  upon  the  words  "  raised  " 
and  "  come  ;  "  but  evidently  the  idea  contained  in  "  raised  " 
has  been  so  many  times  stated  or  distinctly  implied  in  the 
preceding  verses  that  it  is  now  simply  taken  for  granted, 
or  assumed ;  and  the  word  "  come  "  contains  no  essential 
significance,  being  merely  the  commonplace  filling  out  of 
the  sentence.  The  true  emphasis  will  be  revealed  by  par- 


70  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

aphrasing,  thus,  But  some  man  will  say,  This  raising  of 
the  dead  is  done  how  ?  And  when  the  dead  rise,  they 
will  have  what  sort  of  body? 

The  same  is  clearly  shown  in  this  sentence  from  the 
ninth  chapter  of  John :  - 

They  say,  therefore,  unto  the  blind  man  again,  What  sayest  thou 
of  him  in  that  he  hath  opened  thine  eyes  ? 

Here  the  chief  assertion  is  not  upon  the  last  word,  but 
upon  "  thou ;  "  and  to  reveal  and  justify  this  relation  we 
may  invert  the  words  of  the  text,  making  it  read  somewhat 
as  follows,  So  they  say  again  to  the  blind  man,  Consider- 
ing the  fact  that  he  has  opened  your  eyes,  what  do  you 
say  of  him,  yourself? 

COMPLEX     RELATIONS. 

Completeness,  incompleteness,  assumption,  and  asser- 
tion are  usually  simple  in  their  nature.  We  have  also 
many  cases  of  composite  or  combined  relations,  expressing 
in  the  same  word  or  phrase  different  simultaneous  notions. 
Such  complex  relations  often  need  some  special  symbol  in 
the  intonation  ;  and  for  this  use  the  circumflexes  are  natu- 
rally adapted.  The  double  motion  of  the  voice  upon  a 
single  sound  or  group  of  sounds  is  an  instinctive  symbol 
of  the  double  purpose  in  the  speaking  mind. 

We  recognize  three  distinct  types,  or  varieties,  of  com- 
posite relations. 

1.  Comparison  or  Contrast  with  Affirmation.  —  This 
supposes  two  elements  in  the  thought,  and  usually  implies, 
rather  than  states,  the  holding  of  the  two  before  the  atten- 
tion at  the  same  moment.  Its  vocal  symbol  is  the  falling 
circumflex  (A). 


DIS  CRIMINA  TION.  1 1 

Example.  —  "  This  is  not  the  only  reason." 

When  we  say  "  This  is  not  the  only  reason,"  the  other 
reasons  that  might  be  named  are  suppressed,  and  the 
word  "  only  "  must  imply  the  contrast.  This  will  need 
the  circumflex. 

When  both  members  of  the  antithesis  or  of  the  com- 
parison are  separately  and  fully  expressed,  and  when  the 
parts  stand  close  together,  they  usually  take  contrasted 
slides  instead  of  condensed,  or  circumflex  inflection ;  as  :  - 

"  I  come  to  bury  Caesar,  not  to  praise  him  :  " 

2.  Comparison    or    Contrast    with    Incompleteness.  - 

This  is  rendered  still  more  complex  by  the  addition  of 
an  element  of  subordination,  negation,  interrogation,  or 
some  other  type  of  incompleteness.  Its  symbol  is  the 
wave  [^>-/|. 

Could  I  but  know  this  now ! 

Here  the  contrast  between  knowing  and  only  surmising 
is  joined  with  anticipation,  doubt,  or  uncertainty. 

I  do  not  like  your  faults. 

This  plainly  implies  a  contrast,  with  negation  or  con- 
cession. The  fact  of  their  involved  double  significance 
renders  these  forms  especially  useful  in  sarcasm,  raillery, 
wit  and  humor.  They  often  express  surprise,  which  is 
really  a  contrast  between  what  was  expected  and  what 
is  seen.  They  are  legitimately  used  whenever  it  is  most 
economical  to  imply  double  relations  of  thought,  rather 
than  explicitly  to  state  both  of  the  combined  ideas. 

3.  Affirmation  with  Incompleteness.  —  This  joins  with  a 
strong  subjective  attitude  an  interrogation,  a  negation,  an 
entreaty,  or  some   one  of   the  more  distinctly  expressive 


72  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

types  of  incompleteness.  It  is  thus  essentially  double  in 
its  significance,  combining  a  positive  and  a  negative  ele- 
ment of  thought;  typically,  an  assertion  and  an  appeal. 
This  double  significance  appears  plainly  in  such  expres- 
sions as :  — 

You  won't  go, 

when  it  means,  You  will  not  go,  will  you  ? 
You  don't  believe  that, 

meaning,  You  do  not  believe  it,  do  you  ? 

As  in  this  case,  so  usually,  the  twofold  thought  could  be 
made  more  apparent  by  separating  the  elements  which  are 
packed  into  one  briefer  form. 

The  vocal  symbol  of  this  double  relation  is  the  rising 
circumflex  (V). 

The  office  of  the  inflection  in  the  interpretation  of  such 
twofold  expression  is,  most  economically  to  suggest  the 
hidden  or  implied  element.  The  two  motions  of  the  voice, 
united  in  one,  naturally  symbolize  the  two  motives  in  the 
mind  combined  in  one.  We  must  not  regard  the  phrase- 
ology alone,  but  must  seek  to  find  all  that  is  naturally 
implied,  considering  the  context  and  the  circumstances  of 
the  utterance. 

Paraphrase  for  Complex  Relations.  —  These,  as  already 
seen,  are  cases  of  combined  ideas,  expressed  by  composite 
motions  of  the  voice,  called  circumflexes.  In  order  to 
justify  such  double  motion  of  the  voice,  the  mind  of  the 
reader  needs  to  recognize  the  combination  implied  in  the 
words.  He  will  make  himself  surer  of  this  by  analyzing,  or 
separating  into  its  component  parts,  each  composite  idea. 

"  Be  not  too  t£me  neither." 


DISCRIMINATION.  73 

Here  is  a  plain  implication  of  one  member  of  the 
antithesis  ;  and  it  might  be  expanded  thus,  As  you  are 
not  to  be  too  extravagant  in  your  expression,  so  you 
are  not  to  be  too  quiet. 

This  combination  of  separable  elements  might  be  illus- 
trated by  diagram,  thus  :  — 


Here  the  negative,  or  anticipatory,  clause  is,  in  the  con- 
densed form,  suggested  by  the  negative,  or  rising,  part  of 
the  circumflex ;  the  positive  clause,  by  the  falling  part 
of  the  tone. 

In  a  similar  way.  two  separate  elements,  both  of  which 
are  verbally  expressed,  may  be  combined  in  one  elliptical 
or  complex  clause  ;  e.g., 

I  come  to  bury  Caesar,  not  to  praise  him. 

Inverting  clauses,  - 

Caesar,         but        I 

praise       S  N.      come 

to        </  ^^      to 

not       //  ••-..  ••i'^^^s\    bur7 

come      /  ''•-...  ;..••*'  N^       him. 

I  come  to  bury  Caesar. 

The  same  method  of  illustration  may  be  extended  ad 
libitum. 


74  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

This  device  of  diagramming  is  recommended  as  service- 
able for  some  minds,  and  for  a  short  time.  It  corresponds 
to  diagramming  of  sentences  for  grammatical  analysis. 

The  most  natural  order  is  that  in  which  the  negative 
member  comes  first.  In  expanding,  this  will  often  need 
to  be  supplied,  as  it  is  most  often  the  negative  member 
of  the  antithesis  that  is  implied. 

"  Oh,  reform  it  altogether." 

Expanded,  Do  not  be  satisfied  with  a  partial  reform, 
finish  it. 

Paraphrasing  is,  perhaps,  more  practicable  and  more 
useful  in  Discrimination  than  in  the  other  types  of  ut- 
terance, since  here  the  special  purpose  is  to  discover  the 
relations  between  ideas  and  thoughts  ;  and  these  relations 
can  be  found  in  no  other  way  so  well  as  by  this  device 
of  reconstructing,  inverting,  and  reformulating. 

The  only  danger  in  the  habit  is  that  one  may  hastily 
assume  an  interpretation,  and  then  paraphrase  so  as  to 
justify  or  defend  his  position. 


NOTES   OX   CHAPTER   VI. 

DISCRIMINATION. 
NOTE  1. 

The  following  illustration  of  momentary  completeness  was  once 
heard  by  the  writer:  — 

"Saul,  —  Saul,  —  why—  persecutest  — thuu—  me?  " 

In  this  case  each  element  became  the  germ  of  a  division  of  the  dis- 
course ;  as  announced  by  the  preacher,  every  word  stood  for  a  complete 
thought  afterward  developed  before  the  audience. 


DISCRIMINATION.  75 

NOTE  2. 

The  following  diagram  shows  the  different  degrees  of  pitch  that,  in 
general,  are  found  to  mark  different  types  of  incompleteness;  — 

(.">)  Interrogation. 
/(-I)  Negation. 

-(3)  Anticipation. 
-(2)  Subordination. 
-(1)  Doubt. 


Supplication  takes,  according  to  the  degree  of  intensity,  almost  any 

degree  of  elevation. 

NOTE  3. 

As  to  what  may  be  assumed  and  what  needs  to  be  asserted,  the 
speaker  must  always  consult  the  intelligence  of  his  audience,  the  cir- 
cumstances, and  occasion,  and  especially  Jhe  particular  connection  and 
bearing  of  the  sentence  in  question.  Too  much  assumption  renders  the 
delivery  weak  and  inadequate,  because  too  commonplace;  too  much 
assertion  is  an  insult,  as  it  underestimates  the  intelligence  of  the  audi- 
ence. ^\ 

XOTB  4...     ' 

"  Assertion:*'  may  possibly  be  ambiguous  at  first.  The  word  is  here 
appropriated  to  a  technical  use  "which  seems  justifiable  and  necessary, 
It  is  not  to  be  confused  with  Affirmation.  It  is  distinctly  to  be  under- 
stood as  the  mefe  antithetic  of  Assumption. 


"Assertion  "  uses  the  continuative  falling  slide,  the  voice  moving 
downward  and  onward  at  the  same  time.  It  is  a  convenient  way 
of  marking  that  which  is  usually  called  the  "emphatic"  word  of  a 
sentence,  viewed  in  its  connections.  It  is  well  shown  in  transferred 
emphasis;  as,  — 

/  gave  him  those  keys. 
I  gave  him  those  keys. 
I  gave  him  those  keys. 
I  gave  him  those  keys. 

The  "continuative"  falling  slide  is  marked  thus,  •(!_). 

Examples.  —  |I  gave  him  those  keys. 
I  g|ave  him  those  keys. 
I  gave  h|im  those  keys. 
I  gave  him  th|ose  keys. 


76  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

Assertion,  as  here  used,  is  not  designed  to  suggest  relations  of  "  mo- 
mentary completeness"  in  the  final  interpretation,  nor  to  indicate  that 
the  common  falling  slide  accompanied  by  pause  should  mark  the  asser- 
tive word.  The  continuative  slide  (  j )  shows  that  the  element  is  not 

to  be  separated,  but  is  to  have  its  force  in  its  connections.  With  our 
uninflected  language,  it  is  often  impossible  to  secure  perfect  adjustment 
of  emphasis,  and  "  assertion  "  is  a  great  corrective. 

It  is  this  connective  nature  of  the  assertive  element,  as  it  appears 
in  actual  rendition,  that  justifies  the  classification  of  "Assertion"  with 
other  cases  of  implied  incompleteness. 

NOTE  6. 

Comparison  usually  takes  the  interval  of  about  a  third  and  return  ; 
Contrast  about  a  fifth.  Comparison  more  easily  carries  over  the 
thought  from  one  thing  to  another,  while  Contrast  sets  one  thing 
sharply  up  against  the  other.  Comparison  may  be  marked  [/-N],  Con- 
trast [A]. 

Comparison. 

John,  too,  has  come. 

That  is,  John  came,  as  well  as  Charlie. 

Contrast. 

It  is  open,  I  say. 

That  is,  it  is  open  instead  of  closed. 

NOTE  7. 

The  following  passages  are  specially  favorable  for  discriminative 
analysis  :  — 

John  ix. ;  1  Cor.  xv.  35-54;  Matt.  v.  23,  28,  6-26,  15-27;  Mark  ix. 
23;  John  iv.  16-18,  25,  42. 

Hamlet,  Act  I.  Scene  i.  lines  1-60. 
Hamlet,  Act  I.  Scene  i.  lines  160-260. 
Hamlet,  Act  V.  Scene  i.  whole  scene. 

I.   COMPLETENESS. 

1.  FINALITY.  — 

Matt.  v.  17,  xxii.  14;  Rom.  vii.  25,  viii.  38-39,  ix.  16,  18,  xi.  32; 
1  Cor.  iii.  23,  viii.  4;  Heb.  iii.  19. 

2.  MOMENTARY  COMPLETENESS  :  Test  by  translation  into  separate  sen- 

tences. — 

Ex.  xx.  16,  17;  Deut.  xxv.  14-15;  Job  xxviii.  27,  28;  Ps.  viii.  1, 
Ivii.  6;  Isa.  v.  18-19,  vi.  3,  xl.  12-31,  Iv.  6,  7;  Jer.  xlv.  4,  5,  1.  17,  li.  15, 


DISCRIMINATION.  77 

21,  22;  Ezek.  xxxiv.  13-14;  Dan.  ix.  5-6;  Hos.  xiv.  3-7;  Hab.  iii.  2-10; 
Matt.  v.  2-13,  x.  5-10,  xiii.  3-5,  xvi.  2-3,  xxiii.  23;  Luke  v.  13,  vii.  8; 
John  i.  1-4,  v.  10,  xvi.  1-2;  Acts  xvii.  28;  Rom.  viii.  38-39;  1  Cor.  xiii. 
4-7;  Phil.  iv.  8;  Heb.  xi.  32-38;  Rev.  i.  8,  vii.  12. 

II.  GRAMMATICAL  AND  FORMAL  INCOMPLETENESS. 

1.  SUBORDINATION.  — 

Matt.  v.  26,  xxv.  44;  John  iii.  7,  iv.  53,  ix.  14-18;  Acts  ii.  30;  1  Cor. 
xv.  15. 

2.  ANTICIPATION.  — 

Gen.  iii.  17;  Deut.  iv.  25,  vii.  1-2,  xi.  13-22,  xvii.  1-2,  xxx.  1-2; 
1  Kings  iii.  14,  viii.  46-47;  Esther  iv.  14;  Luke  xxi.  20;  Acts  xvii.  24; 
Rom.  ix.  10-11;  Heb.  ii.  2,  x  19-20. 

III.  INDIRECT  AND  INFERENTIAL  FORMS  OF  INCOMPLETENESS. 

1.  NEGATIVE  ;  Decide.  — 

1.  Concession  :  Deut.  xxix.  19;  Luke  xviii.  4-5;  Phil.  iii.  12;  Heb. 
vi.  9;  James  ii.  14. 

2.  Inability  to  assert:   Esther  iv.  14;  Eccl.  xi.   6;    John   ix.  25; 
1  Cor.  i.  16 ;  2  Cor.  xii.  2,  3. 

3.  Unwillingness  to  assert :  John  ix.  20,  29,  xi.  24. 

4.  Triviality  :  Hab.  iii.  17 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  11,  32,  37. 

5.  Obviousness  :  John  ix.  33 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  50. 

6.  Negative  in  Antithesis  :  1  Cor.  xv.  42^4. 

2.  DOUBT:    Paraphrase. — 

Gen.  xxvii.  22;  2  Sam.  xvi.  12;  1  Kings  xxii.  6;  Matt.  xi.  3;  Luke 
xxiv.  21 ;  John  i.  46,  iii.  4,  iv.  9,  vi.  42,  vii.  26,  31,  41. 

3.  RHETORICAL  INTERROGATION  :  Translate  into  declarative  or  impera- 

tive form.  — 

Gen.  iv.  9;  Num.  xvi.  10;  1  Sam.  xvii.  43,  xxv.  10;  2  Kings  viii.  13; 
Job  xxi.  15,  xxxviii.  2,  xli.  14;  Ps.  Iii.  1,  Iviii.  1,  cvi.  2;  Prov.  xxiv.  12; 
Eccl.  ii.  25;  Isa.  v.  4,  xiv.  10,  16-17,  xli.  26;  Matt.  v.  13;  Mark  iv.  13; 
Rom.  ix.  20-21,  x.  14 ;  1  Cor.  iii.  16,  xiv.  17. 

4.  SUPPLICATION.  — 

Gen.  xviii.  23-32,  xxvii.  ?4,  38,  xliv.  18-34;  Num.  xii.  11-13;  1  Sam. 
i.  11 ;  2  Sam.  vii.  18-29;  1  Kings  iii.  6-9,  viii.  23-53,  xviii.  36-37 ;  2  Kings 
xix.  15-19;  Ps.  vi.  1-7,  xiii.,  xliii.,  Ixx.,  Ixxxiii.,  Ixxxvi.,  cii.,  cxliii. ; 
Lam.  v.;  Hos.  xiv.  1-2;  Hab.  iii.  2-3;  Matt.  viii.  2,  6;  Mark  ix.  22, 
24;  Luke  xviii.  38,  39,  41;  Acts  vii.  59-60;  Heb.  iii.  7-8. 
CASES  OF  ASSUMPTION  AND  ASSERTION.  Analyze  and  paraphrase. 
See  pp.  67-70. 

Ps.  i.  4-6;  Prov.  iii.  2,  22,  x.  1,  xii.  16;  Isa.  i.  3-4;  Dan.  vi.  13-14, 
28;  Matt.  v.  27-28,  44,  ix.  15-17,  x.  24-25,  xi.  11,  xxi.  43-44;  Mark  ii.  1- 


78  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

4,  v.  25-34;  John  iii.  1-8,  19,  32,  30,  iv.  21-23,  v.  30-38,  vi.  32-35,  63,  viii. 
28,  39,  44^7,  x.  25,  32,  33,  37,  xiii.  11,  19,  28,  37,  38 ;  Acts  vii.  5,  10,  11, 
19,  24-26,  33,  x.  44,  47,  xv.  7-11 ;  Rom.  viii. ;  1  Cor.  xiv.  7,  11,  16,  18, 
26,  34. 

In  the  following  passages  find  cases  of  "complex  relations."  De- 
cide on  special  form,  and  paraphrase  by  separating  into  simple  ele- 
ments —  a  sentence  or  a  clause  for  each  of  the  component  parts.  See 
pp.  72-74. 

2  Sam.  xii.  7 ;  1  Kings  ii.  22,  viii.  19,  xi.  1 ;  Job  i.  6,  viii.  -  xi.,  xii.  2 ;  Ps. 
xx.  7,  xc.  10;  Isa.  xxx.  15,  Jer.  vii.  19,  xli.-8;.Dan.  iv.  9,  vii.  13;  Matt.  v.  17, 
ix.  16,  xx.  12,  28,  xiii.  16;  Luke  xi.  31-32,  45,  xv.  31-32;  xvii.  15-17,  xix.  42, 
xxi.  1-4,  29-31,  xxiii.  41;  John  x.  10-15,  Acts  ii.  27;  1  Cor.  xiii.  1-4.  Find 
all  cases  in  John  ix.,  1  Cor.  xv.,  Galatians. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

EMOTION. 

Analysis Emotion  is  connected  with  the  intellectual  and  the 

volitional ;  symbolized  by  sensitive  pantomimic  conditions 
and  resultant  tone  color ;  ^Normal  feeling  ;  Simple,  healthy  ; 
Repose  and  elasticity.  Pure  quality  secured  by  physical 
and  vocal  exercises,  singing  and  chanting,  reading  musi- 
cally. Enlarged  feeling  expressive  of  the  grand,  noble ; 
Expansion  of  frame,  depth  and  volume  of  tone,  chest  vi- 
brations predominating;  Expansive  subjective  paraphrase. 
Suppressed  feeling,  tenderness,  weariness,  secrecy,  inten- 
sity ;  varying  pantomimic  conditions,  aspirated  quality ; 
Best  types  are  modifications  of  the  normal;  Oppressed  or 
covered  feeling  expressing  solemnity,  awe,  and  the  like  ; 
Practical  forms,  reverence,  compassion,  wonder,  medita- 
tion ;  Bodily  attitude  tending  toward  recoil  ;  Pectoral 
quality.  Stern  or  severe  feeling  more  or  less  abnormal ; 
Pantomimic  condition  approaching  antagonism;  Tone 
tense;  Paraphrased  by  interjected  remarks  and  exclama- 
tion. Agitated  feeling,  merriment  or  grief;  quiver  of 
nerve,  tremble  of  voice,  "  vibrato.; "  Spirit  and  method  in 
the  study  of  Emotionality. 

Relations  of  Emotion.  —  Of  necessity  many  elements 
enter  into  the  full  measurement  of  emotion,  because  emo- 
tion itself  is  complex,  and  is  dependent  upon  many  con- 
ditions and  relations.  The  cause  of  the  feeling  must 
usually  be  apparent ;  and  especially  must  the  relations  of 
ideas,  out  of  which  the  feeling  grows,  be  obvious.  Hence 
the  elements  of  formulation  and  discrimination  are  pre- 
supposed. 

79 


80  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

On  the  other  hand,  feeling,  in  most  cases,  tends  directly 
toward  action  ;  it  generally  leads  to,  and  justifies,  some 
distinct  form  of  volition. 

Means  of  Expression.  —  The  expression  of  emotion  can- 
not be  fully  given  until  all  the  elements  of  thought  and 
utterance  have  been  analyzed.  We  may,  however,  note 
here  its  two  principal  features,  which  are  bodily  bearing, 
and  tone-color,  or  quality. 

All  emotional  states  are  most  directly  symbolized  by 
the  general  condition  of  the  body ;  including,  - 

(a)    The  bearing; 

(£)    The  attitude  ; 

(<?)  The  "  texture  "  —  or  degree  of  contraction  or  re- 
laxation in  the  'muscles  ;  and 

(d)    Specific  action,  or  gesticulation. 

It  must  be  remembered,  in  the  discussion  of  all  the 
types  of  emotion,  that  these  general  physical  conditions, 
which  are  called  "  pantomimic  expression,"  naturally  pre- 
cede and  induce  the  corresponding  tone  quality,  which  be- 
comes the  vocal  expression  of  the  emotion. 

The  characteristic  element  in  the  vocal  expression  of 
emotion  is  " quality,"  or  "color,"  of  tone.  Whatever 
other  elements  may  be  present  or  absent,  if  the  thought  is 
prevailingly  emotional,  this  tone  element  must  characterize 
the  expression. 

"  Quality  "  of  tone,  in  the  general  sense,  is  that  char- 
acteristic which  depends  upon  the  degree  of  purity  and 
volume,  or  of  harshness,  breathiness,  or  interruption  of 
vibration.  The  bearing,  muscular  texture,  government 
of  breath,  gesticulation,  facial  expression,  —  in  short,  the 
whole  pantomimic  manifestation  of  the  mind's  attitude 
and  action,  —  have  very  much  to  do  with  the  distinctive 


EMOTION.  81 

qualities  of  the  voice.  But  we  study  them  apart  for  the 
purpose  of  analysis. 

We  recognize  six  distinct  qualities,  which  fit  approxi- 
mately, and  under  the  modifications  above  named,  as  many 
distinct  classes  of  emotions.  Each  of  these  we  shall  give 
in  connection  with  the  particular  kind  of  feeling  it  ex- 
presses. 

It  is  not  meant  that  there  are  six  classes  and  no  more, 
nor  that  these  six  are  always  clearly  distinguished  from 
each  other;  but  that  these  give  us  sufficiently  definite 
types  for  practical  classification,  just  as  in  colors  we  recog- 
nize seven  elemental  kinds,  or  types,  of  which  there  may 
be  an  indefinite  number  of  shades  and  combinations. 

It  is  the  province  of  Psychology  rather  than  of  Ex- 
pression, to  discuss  the  laws  of  reflex  action  by  which 
varying  types  of  feeling  manifest  themselves  in  corre- 
sponding physical  states  and  instinctive  actions. 

We  give  here  only  a  general  classification  of  emotions, 
based  on  observation  and  consciousness,  together  with  a 
brief  description  of  their  respective  manifestations  in  body 
and  voice. 

I.     NORMAL   FEELING. 

Under  this  term  is  comprehended  all  that  belongs  to 
the  most  healthy,  undisturbed,  well-balanced,  comfortable 
and  comfort-giving  emotions. 

It  includes  the  emotions  of  the  agreeable,  the  cheerful, 
the  conciliating,  the  commendatory,  or  that  which  may 
be  called  simple,  natural,  or  commonplace.  This  type 
of  feeling  lies  nearest  to  the  condition  in  which  there  is 
no  marked  emotion  ;  and  yet  it  must  characterize  a  large 
portion  of  our  daily  speech  and  of  public  utterance.  Its 


82  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

chief  element  is  the  natural  pleasure  felt  in  meeting 
another  mind,  and  in  communicating  thought.  This,  of 
itself,  gives  a  certain  degree  of  animation  and  pleasure. 

Repose  and  Elasticity  in  combination  are  the  pantomimic 
expression  of  normal  feeling.  The  attitude  will  usually 
be  either  that  technically  called  "  repose,"  or  that  of  mild 
"animation."  The  general  texture  of  the  body  will  be 
that  of  moderate  relaxation  tempered  with  a  certain  buoy- 
ancy and  readiness  for  prompt,  easy  action.  As  a  rule, 
gesture  will  be  used  but  slightly  ;  the  tendency  will  per- 
haps be  toward  the  lighter  types  of  demonstrative  gesticu- 
lation, such  as  revealing,  affirming,  inquiring,  supporting. 

Pure  Quality  is  the  vocal  exponent  of  normal  feeling. 
This  is  the  simplest  musical  vibration.  It  is  full  and 
resonant,  but  not  necessarily  loud.  It  is  the  result  of 
the  normal  action  of  the  vocal  organs.  Such  action  pro- 
duces the  maximum  of  elasticity,  concentration,  and  reso- 
nance, with  the  minimum  of  muscular  effort.  It  agrees 
with  the  laws  of  sound,  producing  a  self-propagating, 
automatic  tone-wave,  unmodified  by  any  additional  breath 
and  uninterrupted  by  muscular  contraction. 

The  "  pure  tone  "  is  more  objective  in  its  effect  than  is 
any  other  quality  ;  that  is,  it  transmits  thought  with  the 
least  suggestion  of  the  personality  of  the  speaker. 

This  quality  of  tone  is  to  be  secured:  — 

(1)  By  proper  physical  and  vocal  exercises. 

(2)  By  singing  and  chanting  poetry  and  prose. 

(3)  By   reading    musically ;    that   is,   preserving   the 
same  kind  of    vibration   as  in  singing,  but  adding   clear 
articulation,    and    rhetorical    groupings    and    inflections. 
"  Musical"  reading  is  not  designed  to  induce  droning  or 
a   " sing-song"   style.     It  need   not  be    monotonous.     It 


EMOTION.  88 

must  be  vibrant.  The  tone  is  to  be  placed  in  the  front 
of  the  mouth.  All  parts  of  the  vocal  apparatus  are  to 
be  flexible,  elastic,  vigorous,  but  perfectly  easy  in  their 
action.  The  body  must  be  kept  in  perfect  poise,  either 
in  repose  or  in  animation  ;  and  the  whole  being  is  to  be 
animated,  but  restful. 


II.     ENLARGED,    OR    ELEVATED    FEELING. 

This,  class  includes  emotions  roused  by  the  contem- 
plation of  what  is  noble,  grand,  sublime,  deeply  serious, 
and  earnest.  It  involves  an  expansion,  an  elevation,  a 
broadening  and  intensifying  of  natural  and  wholesome 
emotions. 

Its  physical  or  bodily  expression  is  an  expansion  and  a 
fuller  activity  throughout  the  frame.  The  attitude  will 
most  naturally  be  that  of  animation,  the  entire  body  sym- 
pathizing with,  and  helping  to  produce,  the  sense  of 
breadth,  elevation,  and  enlargement. 

Example.  —  Aspire  to  a  worthy  ambition. 

It  is  natural  that  such  emotions  should  express  them- 
selves through  a  vocal  .action  which  perceptibly  fills  and 
thrills  the  entire  extent  of  the  air-chambers,  and,  sympa- 
thetically, the  entire  frame,  with  deep,  voluminous,  yet 
agreeable  vibrations. 

The  Expanded  Pure  Tone,  commonly  called  "orotund," 
isvi  this  character.  It  is  deeper  and  fuller  than  the  sim- 
ple pure  tone.  The  lower  chest  vibration  is  a  specially 
noticeable  feature  in  it,  giving  a  strong  sense  of  hearti- 
ness, depth,  earnestness,  fullness  of  experience. 

Begin  practice  with  the  simple  pure  tone,  based  upon 


84  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

the  singing  quality,  which  has  the  most  normal  action  of 
all  the  parts ;  then  gradually  acquire  a  deeper  and  fuller 
vibration,  taking  great  care  that  the  tone  be  not  merely 
louder,  and  that  it  never  become  harsh.  Let  the  poise  and 
the  muscular  and  nervous  conditions  of  the  whole  body 
always  agree  perfectly  with  the  quality  of  the  tone.  Let 
these  induce  the  tone.  Do  not  imagine  that  these  expres- 
sive qualities  of  voice  can  be  mechanically  produced,  or 
that  they  can  be  manufactured  independently  of  the  gen- 
eral mental  and  physical  conditions. 

Having  secured  these  broader  conditions,  cultivate  a 
tone  vibration  that  can  be  clearly  felt,  especially  in  the 
head,  face,  and  chest.  The  best  vowels  with  which  to 
begin  are  00,  0A,  and  ah.  Start  these  lightly,  and  with 
perfectly  quiet  air-column;  very  gradually  increase  the 
volume,  being  careful  not  to  emit  extra  breath.  Continue 
this  practice  until  the  air-chambers  and  the  entire  frame 
are  perceptibly  filled  with  the  vibration.  Test  the  purity 
of  the  tone  by  holding  a  lighted  match  before  the  mouth ; 
the  simple  vowels,  uttered  with  the  greatest  fullness, 
should  not  flare  the  flame.  Now  take  such  passages  as 
the  following :  — 

Roll  on,  thou  deep  and  dark  blue  Ocean,  roll  ! 

BYRON. 

Thou,  too,  sail  on,  O  Ship  of  State  ! 
Sail  on,  O  UNION,  strong  and  great  ! 

LONGFELLOW. 

.Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  O  ye  righteous;  for  praise  is  comely  for  the 
upright. 

Praise  the  Lord  with  harp :  sing  unto  him  with  the  psaltery  am 
an  instrument  of  ten  strings. 

Sing  unto  him  a  new  song;  play  skilfully  with  a  loud  noise. 


EMOTION.  85 

For  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  right ;  and  all  his  works  are  done  in 
truth. 

He  loveth  righteousness  and  judgment :  the  earth  is  full  of  the 
goodness  of  the  Lord.  —  Ps.  xxxiii.  1-5. 

Every  valley  shall  be  exalted,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall 
be  made  low :  and  the  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  arid  the  rough 
places  plain : 

And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall 
see  it  together  :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  —  Isa. 
xl.  4,  5. 

Echoing  arches  of  this  renowned  hall,  whisper  back  the  voices  of 
other  days !  Glorious  Washington,  break  the  long  silence  of  that 
votive  canvas  !  Speak,  speak,  marble  lips ;  teach  us  THE  LOVE  OF 

LIBERTY    PROTECTED    BY    LAW. EVERETT. 

Memorize  a  few  such  passages  for  daily  practice. 

As  a  discipline  for  both  mind  and  voice,  expand  the 
following  expressions,  giving  the  objective  emotionality, 
or  the  more  fully  considered  circumstances  and  reasons 
leading  to  deeper  feeling :  - 

"  Speak,  marble  lips !  Teach  us  the  love  of  liberty  protected  by 
law !  "  • 

"  Rest  in  peace,  Great  Columbus  of  the  heavens  !  " 

"  Glorious  England  !  " 

"  The  Union  cannot  be  dissolved." 

Make  a  more  subjective  expansion  of  such  passages  as 
these :  — 

"  Rejoice,  O  young  man,  in  thy  youth  !  " 

"  Aspire  to  a  worthy  ambition." 

"  How  precious  are  thy  thoughts  unto  me !  " 

"  It  may  be  that  only  in  heaven 
I  shall  hear  that  grand  'Amen."111 


86  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 


III.     SUPPRESSED    FEELING. 

This  may  arise  :  - 

1.  From   the    impulse   to   impart   a   feeling   of   hush, 
quiet,  tenderness,  solemnity ;   as,  - 

And  the  cares  that  infest  the  day, 
Shall  fold  their  tents,  like  the  Arabs, 
And  as  silently  steal  away. 

LONGFELLOW. 

"  The  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple ;  let  the  earth  keep  silence  be- 
fore him." 

2.  From  mere  exhaustion  or  weariness  ;   as,  — 

Now  lay  me  down,  and,  Floy,  come  close  to  me,  and  let  me  see 
you.  —  DICKENS. 

3.  From  the  impulse  to  impart  a  feeling  of  secrecy  or 
fear ;   as,  — 

Hush,  and  be  mute,  or  else  our  spell  is  marred. 

The  Tempest,  IV.  i. 

4.  Great  intensity  seeking  to  vent  itself,  - 

"Thou  despicable,  sneaking  wretch!" 
"Cursed  be  my  tribe  if  I  forgive  him!" 

It  is  obvious  that  1  and  2  are  not  far  from  the  nor- 
mal, while  3  and  4  are  widely  apart  from  it. 

Correspondingly,  the  former  will  not  be  specially  tire- 
some, either  to  the  listener  or  to  the  speaker;  but  the 
latter  are  exhausting,  as  are  the  emotions  which  they  por- 
tray. The  first  and  second  types  will  be  accompanied  by 
repose  of  bearing,  the  second  sometimes  being  exaggerated 
into  lassitude,  the  third  will  incline  to  animation;  the 
fourth  to  explosion. 


EMOTION.  87 

The  Aspirated  Quality  is  the  vocal  symbol  of  Sup- 
pressed Feeling.  It  results  from  mingling  with  the  tone 
unvocalized  breath.  The  suppression  of  natural  vocality 
corresponds  to  the  suppression  of  normal  communication. 

It  is  evident  that  the  kinds  of  aspiration  fitting  these 
different  types  of  suppression  will  differ  very  much. 

(1)  Will  symbolize  itself  in  a  soft,  subdued  tone,  but 
little  removed  from  the  pure  type,  lacking  only  the  ani- 
mation and  buoyancy  of  normal  openness. 

(2)  Will  have   a  thin   and    empty  tone,   due   to  the 
exhausted    physical    condition  —  the    breathlessness    of 
languor. 

(3)  Will  call  for  a  perceptible  aspiration,  approaching 
a  whisper.     The  departure  from  the  normal  quality  will 
be  as   marked  as   the   difference   between  free   and  con- 
strained or  stealthy  communication. 

(4)  Will  express    itself    through  a  forced,   whistling 
sound,  almost  a  hiss,  typifying  the   combination  of  con- 
straint and  intensity. 

In  practicing  this  quality  one  must  be  careful  to  give 
the  right  bodily  or  pantomimic  expression,  and  not  overdo 
the  vocal  expression. 

Expand  and  paraphrase  to  show  the  emotion  of  sup- 
pressed feeling  such  expressions  and  passages  as  the 
following :  — 

Listen  !  what  is  that  ? 

Methinks  I  see  him  now. 

Do  you  hear  anything  ? 

"  With  him  this  is  the  end  of  earth." 

"  And  in  the  hush  that  followed  prayer." 

"  Tis  the  soft  twilight." 

Oh,  let  me  stop  here,  I'm  too  tired  to  go  any  farther. 


88  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

Find  and  make  similar  examples  suggesting  suppressed 
feeling,  and  paraphrase  them  so  as  to  bring  out  more  fully 
the  sense  of  hush,  intensity,  weariness,  secrecy,  fear,  and 
the  like. 

IV.       OPPRESSED    OK    COVERED    FEELING. 

This  represents  an  intensely  subjective  condition  of 
the  emotions.  It  differs  from  the  "suppression  "  spoken 
of  above,  in  this  respect:  That  was  essentially  objective 
- — the  purpose  usually  was  to  communicate  to  some  one 
else  the  sense  of  suppression,  as  in  secrecy,  fear,  or  in- 
tensity of  feeling;  here  the  emotion  is  driven  in  upon 
itself,  seeking  to  hide,  rather  than  to  reveal,  itself. 

This  oppressed  feeling  is  experienced  whenever  a  sense 
of  vastness,  solemnity,  awe,  amazement,  deep  or  supersti- 
tious reverence,  dread,  terror,  and  the  like,  causes  an  im- 
pulse to  retreat  and  cover  one's  self,  to  shrink  away,  or 
escape  from  sight.  It  is  oftener  met  in  soliloquy  than 
in  conversation  or  open  address  :  - 

In  thoughts  from  the  visions  of  the  night, 
When  deep  sleep  falleth  on  men, 
Fear  came  upon  me,  and  trembling, 
Which  made  all  my  bones  to  shake. 
Then  a  spirit  passed  before  my  face; 
The  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up. 

Job  iv.  13-15. 

O,  horrible!    O,  horrible!    Most  horrible! 

Hamlet,  I.  iv.,  v. 

Its  most  useful  applications,  however,  are  not  found  in 
extreme  cases,  but  in  milder  forms,  in  which  a  slight  cov- 
ering of  the  tone  expresses  the  cloud  or  veil  that  seerms  to 


EMOTION.  89 

rest  upon  the  feelings,  shutting  one  in  some  degree  within 
himself. 

Some  of  the  milder  and  more  practical  forms  of  this 
emotional  state  may  be  specified :  - 

1.  Reverence,  as  in  prayer. 

Example.  —  "  O  Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thy  wrath,  neither  chasten 
me  in  thy  hot  displeasure." 

2.  Deep  compassion,  mingled  with  something  of  awe. 

Example.  —  "  She  was  dead.  Dear,  gentle,  patient,  noble  Nell  was 
dead." 

3.  Wonder. 

Example.  —  "  Believe  me,  you  are  marvelously  changed." 

4.  Introspective  meditation. 

Examples.  —  "  Ay,  there's  the  rub." 
"  It  must  be  by  his  death." 

These  milder  forms  should  be  studied  the  most.  If 
the  student's  ear  should  at  the  first  fail  to  discern  the 
peculiar  quality  marking  this  type  of  feeling,  he  may,  for 
practice,  take  the  more  extreme  types  first,  and  work  upon 
them  until  both  ear  and  voice  are  thoroughly  familiarized 
with  this  quality  in  its  exaggerated  form ;  then,  later, 
come  to  these  subtler  and  more  useful  degrees  of  the  same 
quality.  Most  students,  however,  will  do  well  to  begin 
with  the  milder  types.  For  common  oratorical  and  con- 
versational effects,  all  theatrical  extremes  should  be  scru- 
pulously avoided ;  the  intensity  of  the  emotion  must  never 
be  obtrusive.  If  it  buries  itself  in  the  mind  of  the  speaker 
by  such  restatement  and  revivifying  as  should  accompany 
and  induce  all  genuine  expression,  the  result  will  be  a  fine 


90  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

and  unmistakable  significance  in  the  quality  ;  and  this 
will  never  announce  itself  as  a  physical  result,  much  less 
as  a  trick,  but  will  always  be  felt  as  a  manifestation  of  the 
condition  of  the  speaker's  mind  and  thought. 

The  whole  bodily  attitude  and  action  must  agree  with, 
and  help  to  produce,  this  tone,  else  it  will  be  superficial 
and  affected.  The  attitude  will  generally  be  some  degree 
of  "  recoil,"  the  muscles  being  greatly  relaxed  in  the  more 
passive  forms,  as  reverence,  compassion,  and  more  tense 
in  the  active  forms,  as  terror,  horror. 

The  Pectoral  Quality  is  the  kind  of  voice  that  pictures 
this  mental  condition.  It  is  characterized  by  deep  vibra- 
tions, that  are  largely  held  within  the  chest,  instead  of 
being  fully  communicated  to  the  outer  air,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  other  qualities.  In  its  extreme  degrees  it  becomes 
a  half-smothered  shudder  within  the  chest,  the  tone  com- 
ing ab  imo  pectore ;  hence  the  name.  It  might  well  be 
called  the  oppressed  or  shuddering  quality. 

V.    STERN,    SEVERE,    OR    HARSH    FEELING. 

This  class  of  feeling  includes  anger,  petulance,  cruelty, 
disgust,  irritation,  etc.,  which  are  far  from  the  normal,  the 
sensibilities  being  in  a  disturbed,  rasped  condition. 

"  Harsh  Feeling  "  here,  like  "  antagonism  "  in  panto- 
mimic expression,  measures  extreme  effects.  Practically, 
the  more  moderate  forms  of  it,  as  independence,  self-reli- 
ance, self-vindication,  reproof,  authoritative  sternness,  or  se- 
verity, are  more  common  and  useful  in  all  ordinary  forms 
of  conversation  and  oratory.  There  are  many  situations 
in  actual  life  calling  for  such  forms  of  firmness  or  severity. 

It  will  be  vocally  symbolized  by  a  quality  of  tone  which 


EMOTION.  91 

is  produced  by  the  admixture  of  harsh,  grating  noises  made 
directly  by  the  contraction  of  the  pharyngeal  muscles,  and 
indirectly  induced  by  a  somewhat  tense  and  knotted  con- 
dition of  the  muscles  and  nerves  of  the  entire  body.  This 
general  or  pantomimic  condition  must  precede  and  produce 
the  vocal  condition  described.  The  voice  is  thus  relieved 
from  a  great  part  of  the  strain  which  would  be  necessary 
if  the  vocal  organs  alone  were  to  assume  the  abnormal 
condition  indicated.  The  bearing  and  the  muscular  tex- 
ture of  the  whole  frame  will,  at  the  same  time,  be  more 
expressive  than  the  harsh  vocal  quality  alone ;  these  pan- 
tomimic conditions  will  largely  take  the  place  of  vocal 
harshness. 

This  condition  is  a  perversion  of  the  normal  state.  It 
represents  antagonism,  self-conflict,  the  absence  of  harmo- 
nious and  agreeable  conditions.  Analogously,  the  tone 
that  represents  this  mental  attitude  is  produced  by  a 
perversion  of  the  natural  action  —  the  rigid,  disturbed 
condition  of  the  muscles  opposing  somewhat  the  natural 
vibration  of  the  vocal  organs. 

The  Rigid  or  Tense  Voice  is  the  vocal  expression  of 
Stern,  Severe,  or  Harsh  Feeling. 

Antagonism,  modified  by  some  unbalanced  position,  will 
often  be  the  bodily  attitude  introducing  and  accompanying 
this  tone. 

The  poise  of  the  body  will  often  be  disturbed,  some- 
times momentarily  destroyed,  thus  pantomimically  typify- 
ing the  lack  of  harmony  in  feeling  and  in  tone. 

This  rigid  or  tense  quality  is,  ideally,  the  normal  or  pure 
tone  under  the  influence  of  the  rigid  or  stiffened  condi- 
tion of  the  whole  frame.  When  so  produced,  it  will  be 
found  to  be  both  safe  physically,  and  effective  expression- 


92  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

ally.     The  exaggeration  of  it  produces  at  the  same  time  an 
abuse  of  the  vocal  organs,  and  an  abuse  of  the  sentiment. 

"  You  have  heard  this  pompous  performance.  Now,  where  is  the 
revenue  which  is  to  do  all  these  mighty  things?  Five-sixths  re- 
pealed —  abandoned  —  sunk  —  gone  —  lost  forever.  Does  the  poor 
solitary  tea  duty  support  the  purposes  of  this  preamble  ?  Is  not  the 
supply  there  stated  as  effectually  abandoned  as  if  the  tea  duty  had 
perished  in  the  general  wreck?  Here,  Mr.  Speaker,  is  a  precious 
mockery  —  a  preamble  without  an  act  —  taxes  granted  in  order  to 
be  repealed  —  and  the  reasons  of  the  grant  still  carefully  kept  up! 
This  is  raising  a  revenue  in  America !  This  is  preserving  dignity  in 
England !  " 

Ye  stiffnecked  and  uncircumcised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do 
always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost :  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye.  Which 
of  the  prophets  did  not  your  fathers  persecute?  and  they  killed  them 
which  shewed  before  of  the  coming  of  the  Righteous  One ;  of  whom 
ye  have  now  become  betrayers  and  murderers ;  ye  who  received  the 
law  as  it  was  ordained  by  angels,  and  kept  it  not.  —  Acts  vii.  51-53. 

In  Paraphrasing  to  express  this  emotion,  remarks  may 
be  interjected  to  show  the  occasion  and  the  circumstances, 
and  to  give  some  hint  as  to  how  the  speaker  would  natu- 
rally feel,  and  the  reasons  for  it.  See  how  many  words  of 
the  harsh  or  severe  style  are  implied  in  this  short  expres- 
sion with  which  Lady  Macbeth  answers  her  husband.  He 
has  just  said,  "  If  we  should  fail "  — ;  she  answers,  "  We 
fail !  But  screw  your  courage  to  the  sticking-place,  and 
we'll  not  fail."  The  words  carry  all  this  and  much 
more :  — 

O,  you  miserable  coward  !  Talk  of  our  failing !  What  ails  you? 
Why  are  your  knees  smiting  together,  you  white-livered  wretch ! 
Come,  command  yourself,  man  !  Have  a  little  pluck  !  I  am  ashamed 
of  you ! 


' 


EMOTION.  93 

In  the  following  examples  the  words  themselves,  used 
exclamatorily,  are  so  intense  and  so  plainly  subjective  that 
the  best  help  will  be  obtained  by  expanding  them  objec- 
tively :  — 

Begone ! 

Shame ! 

Villain ! 

Fit  them  into  situations  real  or  imagined,  and  expand 
the  expressions  both  objectively  and  subjectively ;  that  is, 
both  by  indicating  the  circumstances  calling  for  the  emo- 
tional expression,  and  by  repeated  intensifying  or  equiva- 
lent exclamations.  Then  take  a  milder  form  of  harshness 
or  severity ;  as,  for  instance,  that  expressing  expostulation 
with  some  degree  of  reproof :  - 

Are  we  so  low,  so  base,  so  despicable  that  we  may  not  express 
our  horror? —  HENRY  CLAY. 

Go  home,  if  you  dare ;  go  home,  if  you  can,  to  your  constitu- 
ents, and  tell  them  that  you  voted  it  down  !  —  IBID. 

VI.    AGITATED    FEELING. 

Emotion  of  this  class  also  may  be  deep,  but  it  lacks 
the  impulse  to  cover  itself.  It  is  more  self-revealing  and 
communicative.  The  feeling  is  such  as  to  shake  the  soul. 
There  is  a  quivering  and  trembling  of  the  sensibilities. 
It  is  found  in  two  main  types  which  are  seemingly  oppo- 
site :  — 

1.    Merriment,  laughter,  glee  ;  as, 

You  must  wake  and  call  me  early,  call  me  early,  mother  dear  ; 
To-morrow  'ill  be  the  happiest  time  of  all  the  glad  New-year  ; 
Of  all  the  glad  New-year,  mother,  the  maddest  merriest  day  ; 
For  I'm  to  be  Queen  o'  the  May,  mother  ;  I'm  to  be  Queen  o'  the  May. 

TENNYSON. 


94  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

2.  Pity,  grief,  tenderness,  compassion  ;  as  in  the  fol- 
lowing: - 

I  have  been  wild  and  wayward,  but  you'll  forgive  me  now  ; 
You'll  kiss  me,  my  own  mother,  and  forgive  me  ere  I  go ; 
Nay,  nay,  you  must  not  weep,  nor  let  your  grief  be  wild, 
You  should  not  fret  for  me,  mother,  you  have  another  child. 

TENNYSON. 

And  now  farewell  !     "Tis  hard  to  give  thee  up, 
With  death  so  like  a  gentle  slumber  on  thee ! 
And  thy  dark  sin !     O,  I  could  drink  the  cup, 
If  from  this  woe  its  bitterness  had  won  thee, 
May  God  have  called  thee  like  a  wanderer,  home, 

My  lost  boy,  Absalom! 

N.  P.  WILLIS. 

In  either  case  the  element  of  agitation  does  not  reside 
simply  in  the  utterance ;  it  is  a  property  of  the  thought, 
or,  more  strictly,  it  is  an  attitude  of  the  speaker's  mind.  It 
must  be  mentally  measured  antecedent  to  any  considera- 
tion of  how  it  shall  be  expressed.  The  question  is,  in  the 
interpretation  of  any  given  passage :  Is  the  feeling  such  as 
to  occasion  this  agitated  or  trembling  condition  ?  If  so, 
we  have  justification  for  the  use  of  its  specific  vocal  rep- 
resentative. 

Tremulous  Quality  consists  in  the  shaking,  wavering, 
or  interrupted  action  of  the  voice.  It  is  a  sensitive  and 
refined  tremulousness,  the  true  vibrato,  not  a  mechanical 
"  tremolo."  This  cannot  be  produced  mechanically  ;  it  is 
vital  that  the  whole  frame  participate  in  the  thrill  and 
quiver  of  the  emotion  ;  the  tone  will  then  delicately  reflect 
the  sentiment  of  the  mind.  The  bodily  attitude  may  be 
that  of  animation  or  of  recoil,  possibly  that  of  explosion : 
whatever  it  be,  face,  hands,  shoulders,  and  chest  —  in 
short,  the  whole  frame  —  must  first  indicate  the  feeling, 
and  induce  this  sympathetic  condition  of  the  voice. 


EMOTION.  95 

Many  songs,  and  especially  refrains  of  songs,  contain 
this  element.  A  musical  setting  only  expands  the  mirth- 
ful or  tender  element,  which  in  reading  gives  occasion  for 
this  tremulous  quality.  This  accounts  also  for  the  many 
repetitions  of  emotional  expressions  contained  in  songs. 
When  read,  these  repetitions  sometimes  become  tiresome ; 
but  their  combined  effect,  as  grasped  by  the  memory  and 
imagination  and  feeling  of  the  reader,  may  well  be  incor- 
porated into  the  few  words  that  are  spoken. 

In  the  following  song  there  seem  to  be  two  elements,  — 
tenderness,  sadness  amounting  almost  to  bitterness ;  and  a 
certain  hilarity  approaching  reckless  jollity.      The  repe- 
titions in  the  verses  form  a  sort  of  expansive  emotional 
paraphrase. 

Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind, 
Thou  art  not  so  unkind 

As  man's  ingratitude; 
Thy  tooth  is  not  so  keen, 
Because  thou  art  not  seen, 

Although  thy  breath  be  rude. 
Heigh-ho!  sing,  heigh-ho!  unto  the  green  holly: 
Most  friendship  is  feigning,  most  loving  mere  folly: 
Then,  heigh-ho,  the  holly! 

This  life  is  most  jolly. 

Freeze,  freeze,  thou  bitter  sky, 
That  dost  not  bite  so  nigh 

As  benefits  forgot: 
Though  thou  the  waters  warp, 
Thy  sting  is  not  so  sharp 

As  friend  remember'd  not. 

Heigh-ho!  sing,  heigho-ho!  unto  the  green  holly: 
Most  friendship  is  feigning,  most  loving  mere  folly: 
Then,  heigh-ho,  the  holly! 
This  life  is  most  jolly. 

As  You  Like  It,  II.  vii. 


96  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

David's  Lament  over  Absalom,  by  N.  P.  Willis,  is  an 
ingenious  emotional  expansion  of  a  part  of  one  verse  in 
the  Bible,  2  Sam.  xviii.  33.  Upon  this  as  a  theme,  the 
poet  has  woven  considerations  as  to  the  natural  beauty 
of  the  young  man,  drawing  these  out  into  the  graphic 
specifications  of  his  "  glorious  eye,"  "  clustering  hair," 
"  brow,"  and  words  that  the  young  man  had  spoken. 
Then  are  added  subjective  reflections,  How  couldst  thou 
die  ?  I  shall  miss  thee  when  I  meet  the  other  young  men. 
Especially  in  my  declining,  feeble  days,  thou,  my  natural 
support,  wilt  be  wanting.  How  can  I  go  down  the  Dark 
Valley  without  thine  arm  to  lean  upon?  Oh,  hard  as  it 
is  to  give  thee  up,  I  could  bear  all  this,  —  bear  all  the 
pain  and  loneliness,  the  grief  unspeakable,  —  if  only  I 
could  know  thy  sin  is  covered,  and  thy  soul  is  safe. 

Such  reflections  are  natural  and  moderate;  they  are 
by  no  means  foisted  upon  the  words  of  the  text;  they 
are  a  partial  unfolding  of  the  thought  contained  in  that 
verse.  What  sympathetic  heart  could  fail  to  read  in, 
silently,  between  the  lines,  still  other  tender,  thrilling 
reflections,  in  addition  to  those  which  the  poet  has  sug- 
gested ? 

The  sacredness  of  much  of  the  noblest  emotion  may 
make  it  seem  an  obtrusive,  unbecoming  thing  thus  to 
write  out  a  paraphrase.  The  purpose  is  by  no  means  to 
violate  the  feelings  —  quite  the  reverse.  The  unfolding, 
realizing,  and  vivifying  of  the  thought,  which  paraphrase 
is  meant  to  secure,  will  enable  one  to  give  with  genuine 
feeling  many  a  passage  that  would  otherwise  seem  cold, 
perhaps  cantish  and  repulsive. 

For  practice,  passages  may  at  first  be  taken  which  can 
be  treated  so  objectively  as  to  avoid  great  enlistment  of 


EMOTION.  97 

_the  reader's  personal  emotions,  and  through  these,  as  a 
coldblooded  exercise,  the  mind  may  learn  the  process 
which,  applied  to  deeper,  more  real,  more  personal  or 
sacred  situations,  shall  enable  one  to  stir  up  within  his 
own  heart  such  emotions  as  will  color  and  vitalize  the 
words  it  is  suitable  to  speak. 

In  this  way  one  may  acquire  a  real  emotional  power 
in  utterance,  without  any  offensive  exhibition  of  his  per- 
sonal feelings.  The  emotionality  in  the  utterance  will  be 
felt  more  in  what  is  concealed  than  in  what  is  revealed; 
but  there  must  first  be  something  to  conceal;  and  this 
device  of  emotional  paraphrase  will,  first  of  all,  increase 
the  real  feeling,  which  is  personal,  and  which  is  deeply, 
though  unconsciously,  treasured  in  the  heart  of  the 
speaker. 


NOTES   ON   CHAPTER   VII. 

NOTE  1. 

The  purpose  in  this  part  of  the  study  is  directly  to  increase  the 
receptive  power  of  the  reader.  He  must  first  receive  and  experience, 
before  he  can  really  communicate.  An  effective  utterance  of  emotional 
passages  can  never  be  secured  by  merely  vocalizing  emotional  words. 
Such  mechanical  practice  would  surely  result  either  in  an  affected  sen- 
timentality, or  in  a  revulsion  and  reaction  of  feeling.  When  once  the 
reader  has  command  of  the.  vocal  media  for  expression,  the  vital  thing 
—  embracing  nine-tenths  of  all  the  labor  —  is  to  deepen  and  vivify  the 
impression  of  the  thing  to  be  said.  In  the  matter  of  emotion  particu- 
larly, this  will  usually  be  done  in  silence ;  but  if  done  with  any  effect, 
there  must  be  some  method  of  procedure,  and  the  foregoing  hints  at 
emotional  paraphrasing  are  intended  to  suggest  the  best  practical  way 
of  accomplishing  this  purpose. 

NOTE  2. 

Examples.  —  We  may  suggest  a  somewhat  wider  range  than  the 
foregoing  analysis  has  indicated.  Selections  for  the  cultivation  of  agi- 


98  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

tated  feeling  may  be  those  expressing  intense  merriment,  jollity,  ridicule 
(when  jocose),  pity,  extreme  tenderness,  pathos,  grief,  rage,  weakness 
(as  of  old  age  or  sickness),  extreme  hesitation,  fright,  or  self-con- 
sciousness. 

NOTE  3. 

In  addition  to  the  examples  given  in  this  chapter,  many  others  may 
be  found  in  Hamlet,  Macbeth,  Merchant  of  Venice,  Julius  Ccesar,  in  many 
graphic  descriptions,  occasionally  in  orations,  and  not  infrequently  in 
natural,  unconventional  conversation. 

In  the  following  passages  decide  on  the  general  class  of  feeling 
(see  pp.  81-94).  Read  aloud,  carefully  observing  qualities  required  to 
express  the  intended  feeling. 

Gen.  i.  1-5,  xv.  1,  xxvii.  1G-17,  xlii.  14-20;  Ex.  xv.  1-18;  Josh.  ix.  9-13, 
vii.  10-13;  1  Sam.  iii.  3-9  ;  2  Sam.  xii.  18,  xviii.  33;  1  Kings  ii.  23-24,  xi. 
11,  xviii.  40,  xix.  4;  Ezra  vi.  3-5;  Esther  iv.  16,  v.  7-8;  Job  iii.  17-19,  vi. 
8-9;  Ps.  i,  1-3,  xix.  1-6,  xxxiii.  1-5,  xxxvii.  1-11,  xlvi.  10,  xlvii.  xc.  1-2, 
10,  xcvii.  1-5,  cii.  3-11,  cxxxix.  14-16 ;  Eccl.  iii.  1-15 ;  Isa.  xxiii.  1-14,  vi.  1-3, 
xl.  4-5,  12,  14,  xli.  7,  Ixiii.  11-13;  Dan.  vi.  20,  22;  Hab.  ii.  20;  Matt.  xi.  28, 
xiii.  13-23,  xvi.  23,  xxiii.  13-23,  xxr.  26-28,  xxvi.  15,  39,  42,  48 ;  Mark  iv. 
41 ;  Luke  xvi.  15,  xix.  27 ;  John  viii.  37-47,  xix.  30,  xx.  28 ;  Acts  v.  3-4,  9,  x. 
34-43,  xiii.  10-11,  xxiv.  2-4,  10,  xxvi.  2-4;  Rom.  viii.  35-39,  xi.  33-36,  xiii. 
1-10;  ICor.  xv.  51-57;  2  Cor.  vi.  11-12;  Phil.  i.  12-18;  2  Tim.  i.  1-6,  ii.  1-2, 
6-9;  Rev.  v.  9-13,  vii.  9-12,  xi.  16-17,  xii.  10. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

VOLITION. 

Analysis.  —  Volition  deals  with  the  will.  Paraphrasing, 
objective,  stating  reasons  ;  subjective,  intensifying  feeling. 
Volitional  intent  is  made  to  appear  by  translating  into 
grammatical  imperative.  Abrupt  volition  expresses  arrest, 
didactic  purpose,  the  decisive,  impulsive,  surprised,  impa- 
tient. Quick  impulse  in  gesture  and  in  voice.  Insistent 
volition  expresses  domination,  settled  determination,  au- 
thority. Cumulative  force  in  gesture  and  in  tone.  Up- 
lifting volition  gives  stimulus  ;  types,  encouragement, 
adoration,  admiration,  exultation.  Stretch  or  swell  in  ges- 
ture and  in  tone.  Mixed  types  of  volition  :  Establishment, 
giving  dignity  and  weight,  especially  suitable  in  religious 
oratory,  evenly  sustained  power  in  action  and  in  voice  ; 
Violence,  perturbation,  expressed  by  double  impulse  or 
shock  in  gesture,  and  by  compound  stress  in  voice.  Spirit 
and  method  in  the  study  of  Volitionality. 

The  will  of  the  speaker,  in  volitional  . 
uponjjie  will  of  tbe-feke&er.  the  ojjjej3tj)einj 


certain  a.ttii^a_ar-^ction_o^  wilHiiJJia-jifirson  addressed. 

Subjectively,  then,  volition  as  a  mood^of  utterance  is 
the  speakers  purpose  to  demand^  attention,  to  enforce  his 
ideas^and  to  produce^  conviction.  Objectively,  it  is  the 
property  in  the  utterance  which  expresses  this  purpose. 

The  Volitional  Paraphrase.  —  As  in  Emotion,  we  may 
here  employ  both  the  objective  and  the  subjective  method  : 

1.  Stating  circumstances,  facts,  and  considerations 
which  shall  show  the  reasons  for  the  particular  form  of 
energy  employed,  and  which  will  be  chiefly  objective  ;  and, 

99 


100  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

2.  Interlining  and  interwording  such  amplifying 
phrases,  clauses,  or  sentences  as  shall  serve  to  express 
more  fully  the  degree  of  intensity  and  the  particular  form 
which  the  energy  takes,  as  abruptness,  insistence,  uplift, 
establishment,  or  violence.  This  latter  will  be  more  sub- 
jective in  its  nature. 

As  a  rule,  it  will  be  better  to  make  the  objective  first ; 
or  at  least  to  allow  the  objective  element  to  lead  in  the 
paraphrase.  This  method,  which  presents  prominently  the 
reasons  for  the  action  of  the  will  before  stimulating  the  pas- 
sional element,  will  tend  to  rationalize  the  volition. 

In  any  case,  it  is  understood  that  the  expansion  is,  ulti- 
mately, only  mental.  Energy  requires  conciseness  in  verbal 
expression  more  than  do  the  other  moods ;  but  in  propor- 
tion to  the  condensation  in  the  phraseology  must  be  the 
expansion  in  the  thinking  and  feeling  which  prompt  the 
expression  of  energy. 

Many  strongly  energetic  passages  are  in  declarative  or 
interrogative  form. 

Translate  them  into  formal  imperatives  in  order  to 
test  their  volitionality.  If  the  real  intent  of  the  speaker 
is  to  move  the  will,  the  imperative  form  will  more  fully 
reveal  that  inner  purpose. 

Observe  this  in  the  following  self-contained  but  preg- 
nantly energetic  expressions  of  Caesar :  - 

What  touches  us  ourself  shall  be  last  served. 

Caesar  did  never  wrong  but  with  just  cause, 
Nor  without  cause  will  he  be  satisfied. 

Doth  not  Brutus  bootless  kneel  ? 

Julius  Ccesar,  III.  i. 


VOLITION.  101 

• 

Any  one  of  these  brief  expressions  might  be  so  ex- 
panded as  to  show  many  thoughts  back  in  the  mind  of 
Csesar,  and  many  movements  of  his  volition,  which  the 
brief  words  powerfully  imply.  To  expand  his  short,  terse 
expressions  so  as  to  reveal  the  thoughts  that  prompt 
them,  the  feelings  that  color  them,  and  the  volitional 
state  which  intensifies  them  —  this  would  be  to  make  an 
objective  energetic  paraphrase  upon  them.  Let  us  at- 
tempt it.  Take  the  first  expression  :  "  What  touches  us 
ourself  shall  be  last  served:" 

Shall  the  great  Csesar,  who  has  sought  the  interests  of 
Rome  more  than  his  own ;  shall  he  who  has  carried  its 
arms  and  conquests  into  Britain  and  the  East,  regardless 
ever  of  his  personal  convenience,  comfort,  or  safety,  — 
shall  he  now,  while  public  business  waits  him  at  the 
Senate,  stop  to  consider  matters  of  merely  personal  char- 
acter? Know  that  Csesar  is  not  such  a  man.  Do  not 
impose  such  hindrances  between  me  and  the  business  wait- 
ing for  me.  Do  not  annoy  me  !  leave  ! 

Observe  the  second  utterance :  "  Caesar  did  never 
wrong,"  etc.  We  might  naturally  interline  some  such 
considerations  as  these  :  - 

Search  my  record.  You  will  find  that  no  one  has 
been  ill-treated  by  me.  Understand,  I  fear  not  to  meet 
all  my  public  acts.  I  am  confident  in  the  sense  of  jus- 
tice. You  can  neither  intimidate  nor  soften  me  by  any 
implications  of  injustice  or  of  tyranny.  Know,  then,  that 
nothing  shall  content  me  but  sufficient  evidence.  The 
evidence  is  not  at  hand.  Then  cease  to  press  me ;  you 
can  never  move  me  ;  I  bid  you  withdraw. 

Look  a  moment  at  the  third :  "  Doth  not  Brutus  boot- 
less kneel  ?  " 


102. 


VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 


If  there  be  any  man  in  Rome  who  could  move  me  by 
supplication,  it  were  the  noble  Brutus  ;  but  see,  he  kneels, 
and  I  spurn  even  him  as  I  would  •  an  impudent  child. 
Think  not,  then,  that  any  other  need  approach  me. 


I.     ABRUPT    VOLITION. 

Arrest  is  here  the  generic  idea.  It  applies  to  any  kind 
of  utterance  that  is  designed  to  startle,  rouse,  or  incite  by 
giving  something  of  shock,  of  unexpected  impact  of  will 
upon  will.  It  is  either  the  lightest  or  the  most  impulsive 
form  of  volitional  action.  Some  varieties  are  :  - 

1.    Didactic  Impulse. 

This  is  the  mere  promptness  or  animation  that  accom- 
panies forcible  explanation,  arousing  the  mind  to  attend 
to  facts  or  truths  presented.  In  this  form  we  have  the 
weakest  perceptible  action  of  the  will,  and  that  which 
is  nearest  to  mere  deliberation.  The  abruptness  of  mere 
animation  or  of  didactic  utterance  is  naturally  associated 
with  normal  feeling  in  the  type  of  cheer,  or  pleasure 
of  communication,  and  employs,  therefore,  a  simple  pure 
tone.  In  order  to  be  energetic,  in  this  technical  sense, 
there  must  be  traceable  a  purpose  to  move  the  will.  For 
example :  - 

"Stand  you  directly  in  Antonius'  way 
When  he  doth  run  his  course." 

Such  purpose  is  not  always  clearly  indicated  in  the 
phraseology ;  as,  — 

"  This  is  the  way.  walk  ye  in  it." 


VOLITION.  103 

This  sentence  may  have  for  its  prevailing  purpose  an 
explanation  of  the  way,  or  it  may  express  a  discrimina- 
tion between  this  way  and  some  other,  or  it  might  even 
hint  at  emotion ;  but  even  though  one  of  these  should  be 
the  prevailing  purpose,  there  may  be  mingled  with  that 
the  design  to  move  upon  the  will.  This  constitutes  voli- 
tion in  the  utterance. 

2.  Prompt  Decision. 

This  may  be  accompanied  by  normal  feeling,  or  by  some 
degree  of  sternness  or  harshness. 

Examples.  —  Leave  me  this  instant. 

"  I'll  watch  to-night :  perchance  'twill  walk  again." 

3.  Arbitrary  or  Impulsive  Command  ;  prompted  almost 
necessarily  by  some  degree  of  harshness  or  severity. 

Examples.  — 

"Down,  slave,  upon  your  knees  and  beg  for  mercy  !" 

"Who  bids  thee  call  ?   I  do  not  bid  thee  call." 

"Off  with  my  boots,  you  rogues!     You  villains,  when?" 

4.  Volition  prompted  by  Surprise. 

The  energy  accompanying  surprise  may  have  an  emo- 
tional background  of  gladness,  of  suppression,  of  inten- 
sity, or  of  harshness ;  and  the  quality  of  the  voice  will 
be  decided  accordingly. 

Examples.  —  «  Yet  here,  Laertes,  aboard !  aboard  !  for  shame  !  " 

Could  anything  be  a  subject  of  more  just  alarm  to  America, 
than  to  see  you  go  out  of  the  plain  high-road  of  finance,  and  give  up 
your  most  certain  revenues  arid  your  clearest  interests,  merely  for 
the  sake  of  insulting  your  Colonies? — BURKE. 


104  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

5.  Abrupt  Volition  prompted  by  Petulance,  Impatience, 
or  Uncontrolled  Anger. 

This  variety  will  naturally  be  accompanied  by  feelings 
of  the  harsh  order. 

Examples.  —  "  Away,  slight  man !  " 
"  Pooh !  You  speak  like  a  green  girl." 

Initial  Stress  (>)  is  its  vocal  exponent;  that  is,  a 
form  of  utterance  in  which  the  full  impulse  of  the  tone  is 
felt  at  the  beginning.  It  is  not  always  explosive  or  vio- 
lent; it  may  be  gently  prompt.  Quickness  of  touch  is 
essential  for  expressing  this  element  of  suddenness.  The 
degree  of  loudness  is  not  important ;  the  tone  may  range 
all  the  way  from  very  soft  to  very  loud. 

Quick  Pulse  in  gesture,  especially  of  palm  and  finger, 
-  usually  "  horizontal  front,"  -  will  be  the  expression  of 
abruptness.  We  can  scarcely  exaggerate  the  importance 
of  securing  flexibility,  elasticity,  and  vigor  in  the  hand 
itself.  Strength  of  gesture  depends  much  more  upon  the 
quality,  as  affected  by  the  action  of  the  hand,  than  upon 
the  extent,  produced  by  the  swing  of  the  arm. 

II.     INSISTENT    VOLITION. 

This  is  a  stronger  form  of  volition.  It  is  less  impul- 
sive than  abruptness.  It  is  less  emotional ;  the  will  comes 
into  more  direct  and  immediate  connection  with  the  intel- 
lect. It  is  preeminently  the  expression  of  conviction.  It 
represents  the  self-controlled,  the  consciously  powerful ;  it 
is  the  deliberate  pressure,  or  bearing,  of  one  will  upon 
another.  Generically,  it  is  domination. 

Insistence    in   all   its    types    will    usually   have    been 


VOLITION.  105 

prepared  and  colored  by  emotions  of  dignity,  firmness, 
sternness ;  and  will  employ  mild  forms  of  the  tense  or 
rigid  quality. 

Cases  of  it  are  :  — 

1.  Settled  Determination. 
Examples.  — 

"Come  one,  come  all;   this  rock  shall  fly 
From  its  firm  base  as  soon  as  I." 

Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you 
rather  than  unto  God,  judge  ye ;  for  we  cannot  but  speak  the  things 
which  we  have  seen  and  heard.  — Acts  iv.  19,  20. 

Here  I  stand  ;   God  help  me  :  I  cannot  do  otherwise.  —  LUTHER. 
I  appeal  unto  Caesar.  —  Acts  xxv.  11. 

"Nothing  but  truth  could  give  me  this  firmness  ;  but  plain  truth 
and  clear  evidence  can  be  beat  down  by  no  ability." 

I  speak  with  great  confidence.  I  have  reason  for  it.  The  min- 
isters are  with  me.  They  at  least  are  convinced  that  the  repeal  of 
the  Stamp  Act  had  not,  and  that  no  repeal  can  have,  the  conse- 
quences which  the  Honorable  Gentleman  who  defends  their  meas- 
ures is  so  much  alarmed  at.  To  their  conduct  I  refer  him  for  a 
conclusive  answer  to  his  objection.  I  carry  my  proof  irresistibly 
into  the  very  body  of  both  Ministry  and  Parliament;  not  on  any 
general  reasoning  growing  out  of  collateral  matter,  but  on  the  con- 
duct of  the  Honorable  Gentleman's  Ministerial  friends  on  the  new 
revenue  itself.  —  BURKE. 

2.  Authoritative    Utterance,  Dignified  Reproof,  or   Offi- 
cial Statement. 

Examples.  —  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you." 

"  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  " 

"  Thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men  but  unto  God." 

"  He  shall  do  this  ;   or  else  I  do  recant 
The  pardon  that  I  late  pronounced  here." 


106  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

"  You  wronged  yourself  to  write  in  such  a  case." 
"  Thy  money  perish  with  thee." 

"  Do  you  forget  that,  in  the  very  last  year,  you  stood  on  the  pre- 
cipice of  general  bankruptcy  ?  " 

"Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish." 

"  Therefore  let  all  the  house  of  Israel  know  assuredly  that  God 
hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom  ye  have  crucified,  both  Lord  and 
Christ." 

You  are  therefore  at  this  moment  in  the  awkward  situation  of 
fighting  for  a  phantom ;  a  quiddity ;  a  thing  that  wants,  not  only  a 
substance,  but  even  a  name ;  for  a  thing,  which  is  neither  abstract 
right,  nor  profitable  enjoyment.  .  .  .  Upon  the  principles  of  the 
Honorable  Gentleman,  upon  the  principles  of  the  Minister  himself, 
the  Minister  has  nothing  at  all  to  answer.  lie  stands  condemned  by 
himself,  and  by  all  his  associates,  old  and  new,  as  a  destroyer,  in  the 
first  trust  of  finance,  of  the  revenues ;  and  in  the  first  rank  of  honor, 
as  a  betrayer  of  the  dignity  of  his  country.  —  BURKE. 

"  Make  room,  and  let  him  stand  before  our  face  !  " 
"  How  shalt  thou  hope  for  mercy,  rendering  none  ?  " 
"  Upon  my  power  I  may  dismiss  this  court." 

And  this  notable  conclusion  of  Edmund  Burke's  im- 
peachment of  Warren  Hastings :  - 

"  Therefore,  it  is  with  confidence  that,  ordered  by  the  Commons 
of  Great  Britain,  I  impeach  Warren  Hastings  of  high  crimes  and 
misdemeanors. 

"  I  impeach  him  in  the  name  of  the  Commons  of  Great  Britain, 
whose  national  character  he  has  dishonored. 

"  I  impeach  him  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  India,  whose  laws, 
rights,  and  liberties  he  has  subverted. 

"  I  impeach  him  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  India,  whose  prop- 
erty he  has  destroyed,  whose  country  he  has  laid  waste  and  desolate. 

"  I  impeach  him  in  the  name  of  human  nature  itself,  which  he 
has  cruelly  outraged,  injured,  and  oppressed,  in  both  sexes.  .  .  . 


VOLITION.  107 

"  And  I  impeach  him  in  the  name  and  by  virtue  of  those  eternal 
laws  of  Justice  which  ought  equally  to  pervade  every  age,  condition, 
rank,  or  situation  in  the  world." 

Without  official  authority,  an  utterance  may  express  so 
strong  and  settled  conviction,  and  may  so  appeal  to  the 
listener  by  the  weight  of  its  own  evident  truth,  that  it 
amounts  to  authority.  For  example  :  - 

Ah,  gentlemen,  that  was  a  dreadful  mistake.  Such  a  secret  can 
be  safe  nowhere.  The  whole  creation  of  God  has  neither  nook  nor 
corner  where  the  guilty  can  bestow  it  and  say  it  is  safe.  ...  It 
must  be  confessed;  it  will  be  confessed;  there  is  no  refuge  from 
confession  but  in  suicide,  and  suicide  is  confession.  —  WEBSTER. 

Final  Stress  (<)  is  the  vocal  symbol  of  this  form  of 
volition.  It  is  a  deliberate  gathering  up,  a  cumulation  of 
force.  Beginning  moderately,  it  typifies  the  calm,  assured 
attitude  of  a  mind  that  is  so  confident  in  its  position  that 
it  does  not  need  to  assert  itself.  The  pressure  typifies  the 
resistlessly  gathering  conviction ;  the  ending  with  full  tone 
indicates  the  completeness  of  conviction.  The  final  stress 
is  usually  accompanied  by  falling  slide. 

Increasing  Force  in  Gesture  with  slow  preparation,  often 
descending  front,  expresses  this  form  of  volition.  As  most 
of  the  words  of  a  sentence  serve  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
one  or  two  words  that  contain  the  heart  of  the  assertion, 
so  most  of  the  time  occupied  in  the  final  stress  gesture 
is  in  preparation  for  the  ictus,  or  stroke.  Adapt  care- 
fully the  preparation  and  ictus.  Let  the  hand  lead  the 
voice. 


HI.     UPLIFTING    VOLITION. 


The  Stimulus  of  ennobling  thought  is  here  represented 
together  with  the  sense  of  insistent  or  cumulative  force; 


108  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

we  also  have  more  noticeable  emotion  mingled  with  the 
volition.  It  is  adapted  to  the  utterance  of  any  sentiment 
that  elevates  and  fills  the  speaker's  soul,  and  at  the  same 
time  seeks  to  impress  and  move  the  soul  of  the  listener. 
Without  this  element  of  insistence,  it  would  be  simply 
emotional ;  with  this  it  becomes  a  buoyant  pressure,  or  an 
elevated  impulse,  originating  in  the  speaker's  conception 
of  the  noble,  but  seeking  to  make  the  listener  realize  the 
same,  and  act  upon  it. 

Four  types  can  be  clearly  distinguished :  — 

1.  Encouragement,  or  stimulation  to  something   good 
and  noble. 

Examples.  —  Wherefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  steadfast, 
immovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch 
as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord.  —  1  Cor.  xv. 
58. 

Hold  fast  that  which  thou  hast,  that  no  one  take  thy  crown.  — 
Rev.  iii.  11. 

Praise  ye  the  Lord;  for  it  is  good  to  sing  praises  unto  our  God; 
for  it  is  pleasant ;  and  praise  is  comely. 

The  Lord  doth  build  up  Jerusalem  :  he  gathereth  together  the 
outcasts  of  Israel. 

He  healeth  the  broken  in  heart,  and  bindeth  up  their  wounds. 

He  telleth  the  number  of  the  stars;  he  giveth  them  all  their 
names.  —  Ps.  cxlvii.  1-4. 

"Thou,  too,  sail  on,  O  Ship  of  State, 
Sail  on,  O  Union,  strong  and  great." 

2.  Adoration,  with  purpose  to  uplift  the  listener  into 
the  same  state. 

Example.  — 

Ye  living  flowers  that  skirt  th'  eternal  frost! 
Ye  wild  goats,  sporting  'round  the  eagle's  nest! 


VOLITION.  109 

Ye  eagles,  playmates  of  the  mountain  storm  ! 
Ye  lightnings,  the  dread  arrows  of  the  clouds  ! 
Ye  signs  and  wonders  of  the  elements  ! 
Utter  forth  "God!"  and  fill  the  hills  with  praise! 

COLERIDGE. 

8.  Admiration,  joined  with  the  purpose  to  make  others 
admire. 

Example.  — 

How  beautiful  she  is!  how  fair 
She  lies  within  those  arms,  that  press 
Her  form  with  many  a  soft  caress 
Of  tenderness  and  watchful  care. 

LONGFELLOW. 

4.  Joy  or  Exultation,  with  the  purpose  to  lead  others 
to  rejoice. 

Example.  — 

Sing  aloud  unto  God  our  strength  : 

Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  God  of  Jacob. 

Ps.  Ixxxi.  1. 

Median  Stress  ( <> ),  expressing  generically  a  " swell," 
is  the  vocal  expression  for  this  form  of  volition.  It  is 
usually  accompanied  by  a  slight  rise  and  fall  in  the  pitch, 
similar  to  the  falling  circumflex,  but  not  heard  as  in- 
flection. 

Study  the  swell  with  pure  tone,  and  allow  the  feelings 
to  be  elevated  with  the  increase  of  tone.  Expansibility 
and  fullness  of  voice  are  the  means  for  the  expression  of 
this  property. 

.  A  large  motion  is  the  gesture  for  median  stress,  curv- 
ing, often  "ascending  oblique,"  with  expanding,  stretch- 
ing palm,  frequently  employing  both  hands.  Practice 
gesture  with  swell  on  the  vowels.  Never  allow  the  tone 
to  become  hard  or  rough.  Full  swell  should  produce  full 
resonance. 


110  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

IV.     MIXED    TYPES. 

1.    ^Establishment. 

Dignity  and  Weight  characterize  utterances  of  this 
type.  The  impression  is  made,  not  so  much  by  insistence 
or  cumulation,  as  by  the  display  of  an  even,  firm,  and 
elevated  property,  typifying  the  greatest  possible  appre- 
ciation of  nobility  and  resistless  strength. 

It  will  be  accompanied  by  emotional  conditions  belong- 
ing under  either  "  enlargement  "  or  "  sternness  "  in  its 
nobler  varieties. 

Examples.  —  And  God  spake  all  these  words,  saying, 
I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  have  brought  thee  out  of  the  lane1 
of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  —  Ex.  xx.  1,  2. 

Once  more  unto  the  breach,  dear  friends,  once  more; 

Or  close  the  wall  up  with  our  English  dead! 

In  peace,  there's  nothing  so  becomes  a  man, 

As  modest  stillness,  and  humility: 

But  when  the  blast  of  war  blows  in  our  ears, 

Then  imitate  the  action  of  the  tiger; 

Stiffen  the  sinews,  summon  up  the  blood, 

Disguise  fair  nature  with  hard-fa vor'd  rage: 

Then  lend  the  eye  a  terrible  aspect; 

Let  it  pry  through  the  portage  of  the  head, 

Like  the  brass  cannon;  let  the  brow  o'erwhelm  it, 

As  fearfully  as  doth  a  galled  rock 

O'erhang  and  jutty  his  confounded  base, 

Swill'd  with  the  wild  and  wasteful  ocean. 

Now  set  the  teeth,  and  stretch  the  nostril  wide; 

Hold  hard  the  breath,  and  bend  up  every  spirit 

To  his  full  height!  —  On,  on,  you  noblest  English, 

Whose  blood  is  fet  from  fathers  of  war-proof!  — 

The  game's  afoot; 

Follow  your  spirit:  and,  upon  this  charge, 
Cry  —  God  for  Harry !   England !   and  Saint  George ! 

Henry  the  Fifth,  III.  i. 


VOLITION.  Ill 

Thorough  Stress  ( ),  expressing,  generically,  sus- 
tained force,  is  the  symbol  of  this  form  of  volition.  It  is 
approximately  equal  throughout  the  phrase  or  passage  so 
emphasized.  This  quality  of  force  will  tend  to  produce 
also  monotony  of  inflection  ;  both  together  will  give  the 
stateliness,  the  staid  and  solid  effect,  which  this  type  of 
volition  requires.  The  tone  is  to  be  prepared  by  first 
singing  and  chanting  with  full  voice,  then  practicing  pas- 
sages with  the  "  calling  tone,"  sustaining  the  force  as 
nearly  equal  as  possible  throughout  the  passage.  In  drill- 
ing on  this  form  of  volition  it  will  often  be  useful  to 
employ  prolonged  or  repeated  gesture,  oblique,  horizontal, 
or  ascending.  Full  extension  of  arm  will  usually  be  suit- 
able, accompanying  the  thorough  stress. 

Paraphrase  for  Prolonged  Enforcement.  --  This  type  of 
energy,  in  its  more  rhetorical  use,  is  well  exemplified  in 
the  even,  sustained  dignity  of  such  passages  as  the  follow- 
ing from  the  Psalms  :  - 

"  The  Lord  hath  prepared  his  throne  in  the  heavens,  and  his 
kingdom  ruleth  over  all." 

Expand  by  interlining  considerations  that  will  help 
you  to  realize  the  elevation  and  grandeur  of  the  thought. 

the  Eternal  One,  the  Self  Existent;  He  who  is  the 

The  Lord 

same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever,  from  all 

hath  prepared 

eternity,    or   ever  the   earth   was,  by  his   established  decrees,   which 
shall  know  no  change  while  time  endures,  eternal  and 

his  throne 

immutable  as  himself  where  he  dwelleth,  whence 

in  the  heavens 


112  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

his  commands  go  forth  to  all  the  universe,  thus 

and  his  kingdom 

established    on    a    sure    foundation,   unshaken,    immovable,    destined 
completely  to  triumph  over  all  opposing  forces,  with  eter- 

ruleth 

nal  power  and  grace  both  those  who  gladly  accept  his  domin- 

over 

ion  and  those  who  weakly  try  to  resist  his  power:  — all  alike  shall  feel 
and  own  the  eternal  supremacy  of  the  righteous  King, 

all. 

2.    Violence. 

Perturbation  of  mind  is  always  present  in  this  form  of 
volition. 

The  will  acts  in  a  more  or  less  interrupted  or  spasmodic 
way,  under  conflicting  motives  to  suddenness  and  to  insist- 
ence. There  is  an  impulse  toward  abruptness,  but  not 
simply  the  abruptness  of  surprise,  impatience,  or  uncon- 
trolled feeling;  it  is  rather  that  of  deep  and  tumultuous 
passion,  mingled  with  the  sense  of  pressure  or  weight.  It 
is  found  in  strong  natures  under  powerful  emotions  which 
they  are  able  only  in  part  to  control.  The  emotions  are 
of  the  "  agitated  "  class. 

Find  examples  of  this  in  the  Closet  Scene  of  Hamlet, 
Act  III.  Scene  iv. ;  and  in  Julius  Ccesar,  Act  I.  Scene  i. 

Compound  Stress  (><)  is  the  form  of  vocal  energy 
expressing  this  mood.  It  produces  a  double  shock.  This 
tone  can  scarcely  be  given  with  the  voice  alone.  It  must 
be  practiced  with  gesture,  which  will  frequently  be  given 
with  clenched  fist  or  strong  pulse  of  palm  and  fingers,  fre- 
quently with  repeated  stroke,  or  shake. 

The  compound  stress  is  quite  analogous  to  compound 
inflection,  representing  a  double  motive  or  impulse  in  the 
mind.  Usually  the  two  impulses  which  combine  to  form 


VOLITION.  113 

this  composite  effect  may  be  revealed  by  analysis,  which 
will  show  the  reason  for  the  presence  of  the  two  elements 
in  the  thought. 

Paraphrase  for  Violence.  —  Here,  evidently,  emotion 
will  be  more  apparent,  and  will  form  a  larger  percentage 
of  the  expressional  power.  The  interlineations  will  be 
such  as  to  reveal  a  disturbed,  violently  moved,  shocked 
condition  of  the  sensibilities,  together  with  an  impetuous, 
unrestrained,  and  yet  powerful,  insistent  action  of  the  will. 
Let  this  attitude  be  illustrated  by  the  following  passage 
from  The  Vision  of  Don  Roderick  by  Scott :  — 


"  But  conscience  here,  as  if  in  high  disdain, 
Sent  to  the  monarch's  cheek  the  blood  — 
lie  stayed  his  speech  abrupt  —  and  up  the  prelate  stood. 

'  O  hardened  offspring  of  an  iron  race  ! 

What  of  thy  crimes,  Don  Roderick,  shall  I  say  ? 
What  alms,  or  prayers,  or  penance  can  efface 

Murder's  dark  spot,  wash  treason's  stain  away  ! 

For  the  foul  ravisher  how  shall  I  pray, 
Who,  scarce  repentant,  makes  his  crime  his  boast  ? 

How  hope  almighty  vengeance  shall  delay, 
Unless,  in  mercy  to  yon  Christian  host 

He  spare  the  shepherd,  lest  the  guileless  sheep  be   lost.'  " 

Observe  that  the  first  three  lines  quoted  hint  at  the 
pantomimic  condition  and  expression,  which  justifies  the 
following  speech.  The  tense,  disturbed,  abrupt  action 
will  of  course  be  expressed  in  the  paraphrase  by  a  violent 
exclamatory  utterance,  interjected  between  the  words  of 
the  text ;  thus  :  - 

cruel,  conscienceless,  defiant,  brazen 
O  hardened  offspring 


114  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

hard-hearted,  relentless,  overbearing 
of  an  iron  race 

tell  me,  speak,  answer!  horrible,  revolting,  blood- 

What  of  thy  crimes, 

curdling,  who  can  name  them,  who  can  describe 

Don  Roderick, 

them?  what  tongue  can  portray  them? 

shall  I  say  ?  What  alms,  or 

prayers,  or  penance   [here  the  amplification  by  repetition 
seems  to  be  done  for  us] 

the  horrible  blot,  the  dastardly  mark, 

can  efface  Murder's  dark  spot, 

revealing  your  foul  soul  in  its  hideous  uncleanness, 

wash  treason's 

ay,  treason,  blackest  crime,  beyond  murder;  most  impious!  most  reck- 
less !  most  defiant !  how  can  I  bring 

stain  away  I      For  the  foul  ravisher 

myself,  how  can  you  expect  me  ?     Oh,  why  should  any  man  be  called  to 
intercede  for  such ! 

how  shall  I  pray  ? 


NOTES    ON   CHAPTER   VIII. 
NOTE  1. 

A  Final  Word  on  the  Study  of  Volition.  —  It  is  vital  to  observe  two 
things,  and  in  their  proper  order  :  First,  Try  to  measure  the  kind  and 
degree  of  volition  —  note  carefully  the  attitude  of  the  speaker's  will  at 
the  moment  of  utterance,  as  bearing  upon  the  will  of  the  addressed. 
Do  not  be  content  with  simply  saying,  "There  is  volition  demanded 
here;"  see  what  kind  of  volition.  Second,  Learn  carefully  and  practi- 
cally each  kind  of  stress;  train  the  voice  to  these  different  apportion- 
ments of  power,  until  the  vocal  symbol  instantly  and  instinctively 
adapts  itself  to  your  mind's  conception  of  the  variety  of  volition 
required. 

Practice  verifying  the  significance  of  these  different  types  of  voli- 
tion by  listening  critically  to  voices  in  conversation  and  in  public 
discourse. 

Do  not  confuse  stress  with  inflection;  practically  they  may  unite  — 


VOLITION.  115 

scientifically  we  are  to  separate  them;  and  in  the  drill  stage  they  must 
be  thought  of  as  distinct. 

Practice  vowels  and  numerals  in  all  forms  of  stress,  always  associat- 
ing the  rhetorical  significance,  and  mentally  adapting  sentences  requir- 
ing different  kinds  of  stress;  then  take  actual  sentences,  speak  them 
with  different  kinds  of  stress,  and  note  the  differences  in  significance. 

Do  not  overdo  the  matter  of  stress.  Like  all  vital  elements  in 
expression,  it  must  be  used  moderately  in  order  to  be  effective.  Never 
allow  mere  impulse  to  decide  the  form  or  degree  of  stress.  Effective 
utterance  is  always  dominated  by  the  intelligence  and  the  will. 

Whatever  particular  form  of  volition  is  studied,  the  utterance  must 
be  justified  to  the  reader  or  speaker  by  such  mental  expansion,  com- 
ment, and  restatement  as  could  be  expressed  in  writing.  This  will, 
indeed,  fall  short  of  complete  expression,  and  is  intended  to  be  only  an 
aid  to  such  expression;  but  such  aid  is  needed. 

The  things  to  be  kept  constantly  in  mind  are  these:  First,  that 
volitional  attitudes  and  actions  must  be  justified  by  their  relations  to 
the  intellectual  and  emotional  conditions  which  introduce  them;  and, 
Second,  that  they  may  be  mentally  intensified  by  such  repetitions  and 
additional  expressions  as,  if  fully  written,  would  quite  overload  the 
verbal  expression. 

In  addition  to  those  already  given,  find  or  make  typical  examples  of 
abruptness,  insistence,  uplift,  establishment,  and  violence.  Write  in 
between  the  lines  and  between  the  words  such  amplifying  matter  as 
you  think  will  legitimately  express  the  accompanying  thoughts  and 
impulses  of  the  speaker's  mind,  and  thus  give  force  and  point  to  these 
different  types  of  volition. 

NOTE  2. 

In  the  following  passages  decide  on  the  form  of  volition  implied. 
Translate  declarative,  interrogative,  or  exclamatory  forms  into  impera- 
tive. See  pp.  100-102. 

Gen.  xl.  1;  Ex.  xiv.  15,  xv.  1-8,  xx.  1-2;  Josh.  x.  12;  1  Sam.  xvii.  44, 
xx.  30-31 ;  2  Sam.  xii.  5-17,  xix.  5-7 ;  1  Kings  xii.  16 ;  Ezra  i.  2-4,  iv.  3,  vi, 
6-12;  Esther  iv.  13-14,  vii.  9;  Ps.  xxxvii.  3,  xlvii.  1,  Ixviii.  7-8,  Ixxxi.  1-3, 
Ixxxix.  6-8,  xc.  1-5,  xcvi.  1-C,  xcvii.  1-4,  cxxi.,  cxxv.  1-2,  cxl.  9-10;  Isa. 
xxv.  1-4,  xxx.  1-5,  xl.  12-18,  li.  9-11,  lii.  1-2,  Iv.  1,  Ix.  1-5,  17-22,  Ixii.  1-3; 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  22-24;  Matt.  ii.  13;  Mai.  iii.  10;  Matt.  xix.  28-29;  Luke  xxiii. 
21,  xv.  6;  John  iii.  16-18,  vii.  37,  xii.  13;  Acts  ii.  36,  iv.  19-20,  vii.  49-50,  51, 
53,  xiii.  41,  xxiii.  3,  xxv.  11,  xxvii.  22-25 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  58,  xvi.  13;  Eph.  vi.  10-17; 
Heb.  i.  10-12,  xi.  3,  32-34,  xiii.  6;  Rev.  iii.  11. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

MUSICAL   PROPERTIES    OF   SPEECH. 

Analysis More  general  application;   Movement  or  tempo; 

Slow  gives  gravity ;  Fast  gives  lightness  or  intensity. 
Movement  in  its  relation  to  different  types  of  utterance. 
Rhythm  of  speech :  Significance  of  different  types  of  po- 
etic rhythm ;  Corresponding  types  of  prose-rhythm ; 
abrupt,  insistent,  gliding,  weighty ;  Analogous  to  different 
forms  of  stress ;  Prose-rhythm  is  more  dependent  upon 
the  reader's  interpretation  ;  Examples  of  different  kinds  of 
prose-rhythm.  Hamlet's  advice  to  the  players  analyzed 
rhythmically ;  Key  denned ;  Effects  of  high  keys,  of  me- 
dium, of  low.  Keys  in  different  voices.  Melody  defined. 
Effects  of  smaller  diatonic  intervals,  of  larger,. of  chro- 
matic, of  minor,  of  unusual.  Emphatic  elements  in  the 
sentence  set  the  trend  of  melody.  Melodies  discriminative 
and  emotional.  Illustration  from  musical  recitatives,  arias, 
and  songs.  Melodic  analysis  of  the  Erl-King.  Special 
qualities  of  tone  due  to  the  overtones ;  Effects  of  different 
types  of  vowels;  Mr.  Swartz's  analysis  of  different  vowel 
qualities.  Rhythm  and  melody  as  subtler  means  of  ex- 
pressing thought. 

THUS  far  we  have  considered  the  more  minute  and  par- 
ticular applications  of  the  properties  of  tone  to  special 
purposes  in  the  utterance. 

These  general  properties  of  utterance  are  approached 
from  the  physical  side  rather  than  from  the  mental;  and 
for  this  reason  they  should  be  studied  only  after  formal 
and  thorough  analysis  of  thought  properties. 

The  particular  applications  of  tone-properties,  as  quan- 
tity, inflection,  stress,  serve  to  single  out  some  word  or 

116 


MUSICAL  PROPERTIES  OF  SPEECH.  117 

phrase  as  the  center  of  the  expression,  and  as  that  which 
gives  character  to  the  utterance.  All  the  general  applica- 
tions, as  movement,  key,  melody,  general  force,  and  general 
quality,  give  character  to  the  thought  as  a  whole,  and  not 
with  special  reference  to  any  one  central  word  or  phrase. 
The  general  both  affects  the  particular  and  is  affected  by  it. 

The  general  should  always  lead,  and  subordinate  to  it- 
self the  particular.  Thus,  e.  g.,  "  general  force  "  is  deter- 
mined by  the  consideration  of  the  kind  of  energy  implied 
in  the  passage  as  a  whole;  when  thus  determined,  "particu- 
lar force,"  or  "  stress,"  will  naturally  follow,  applying  itself 
to  the  central  words  in  each  assertion  or  appeal.  The  em- 
phasis thus  secured  will  not  have  the  undue  pointedness 
or  jerky  effect  sometimes  heard  in  young  speakers.  It  was 
necessary  at  first  to  study  force  in  the  form  of  stress,  to 
reach  a  specific  idea  of  the  different  kinds  of  volition.  So, 
inflection  is  more  easily  understood  than  melody;  and 
pause  and  quantity,  than  movement.  These  different  ele- 
ments, once  apprehended  in  connection  with  the  smaller 
divisions  of  speech,  become  a  guide  and  illustration  to  the 
larger  divisions,  which  in  turn  react  upon  the  particular 
elements. 

We  study,  as  "musical  properties,"  Movement,  Rhythm, 
Melody,  Quality,  and  Force.  These  are  called  musical 
properties  because  they  impart  to  speech  in  a  marked  de- 
gree the  characteristics  of  sensuous  beauty  and  poetic 
ideality,  which  inhere  typically  in  music  itself. 

I.       MOVEMENT,    OR    TEMPO. 

Movement,  as  an  element  of  expression,  is  distinguished 
from  pause  and  quantity  mainly  by  this  feature  of  general 


118  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL 

application;  that  is,  while  pause  or  quantity  is  heard  upon 
a  single  element  of  a  sentence,  and  for  the  uses  of  that 
element,  except  in  case  of  the  oratorical  pause,  general 
movement,  or  rate,  is  heard  as  affecting  the  whole  passage, 
division,  or  discourse. 

Movement  in  speech  corresponds  to  tempo  in  music ; 
pauses  correspond  to  rests,  and  quantity  to  the  relative 
length  of  tones.  The  movement,  or  tempo,  gives  the 
general  effect  of  the  thought  as  a  whole.  Movement  either 
measures  the  rapidity  of  the  mind's  action  in  the  thought 
which  is  uttered,  or  suggests  the  amount  and  nature  of 
unuttered  but  implied  thought. 

Slow  Movement  is  a  part  of  the  expression  of  thought- 
fulness,  seriousness,  solemnity,  tenderness,  doubt  or  mis- 
giving, in  the  mind  of  the  speaker;  and  adapts  itself  to 
the  description  of  scenes,  incidents,  etc.,  that  are  slow- 
moving  or  grave.  In  short,  slow  movement  means  gravity. 

Examples.  — 

CAESAR.    Would  he  were  fatter!  but  I  fear  him  not: 
Yet,  if  my  name  were  liable  to  fear, 
I  do  not  know  the  man  I  should  avoid 
So  soon  as  that  spare  Cassius.     He  reads  much; 
He  is  a  great  observer,  and  he  looks 
Quite  through  the  deeds  of  men:  he  loves  no  plays, 
As  thou  dost,  Antony  ;  he  hears  no  music  : 
Seldom  he  smiles;  and  smiles  in  such  a  sort 
As  if  he  mock'd  himself,  and  scorn' d  his  spirit 
That  could  be  moved  to  smile  at  any  thing. 

Julius  Ccesar,  I.  ii. 

BRUTUS-.   .  .  .     What  you  have  said, 
I  will  consider;  what  you  have  to  say, 
I  will  with  patience  hear;  and  find  a  time 
Both  meet  to  hear  and  answer  such  high  things. 
Till  then,  my  noble  friend,  chew  upon  this: 


MUSICAL    PROPERTIES     OF    SPEECH.  119 

Brutus  had  rather  be  a  villager 
Than  to  repute  himself  a  son  of  Koine 
"Under  these  hard  conditions  as  this  time 
Is  like  to  lay  upon  us. 

Julius  Ccesar,  I.  ii. 

"  '  Prince  of  Peace.'  Note  that  name.  When  kings  rule  in  that 
name,  and  nobles,  and  the  judges  of  the  earth,  then  they  also,  in  their 
narrow  place,  and  mortal  measure,  receive  the  power  of  it." 

"  God  bless  us  every  one  !  "  said  Tiny  Tim,  the  last  of  all.  lie 
sat  very  close  to  his  father's  side,  upon  his  little  stool.  Bob  held  his 
withered  little  hand  in  his,  as  if  he  loved  the  child,  and  wished  to 
keep  him  by  his  side,  and  dreaded  that  he  might  be  taken  from 
him.  —  DICKENS. 

Fast  Movement  is  a  part  of  the  expression  of  triviality, 
lightness,  merriment,  cheer,  boldness,  prompt  decision, 
enthusiasm  (when  not  seriously  assertive) ;  and  objec- 
tively, it  fits  the  description  of  scenes  or  events  that  move 
rapidly.  In  a  word,  fast  rate  means  either  lightness  or 
intensity. 

Examples.  — 

BRUTUS.    Ride,  ride,  Messala,  ride,  and  give  these  bills 
Unto  the  legions  on  the  other  side:  [Loud  alarum. 

Let  them  set  on  at  once;  for  I  perceive 
But  cold  demeanor  in  Octavius'  wing, 
And  sudden  push  gives  them  the  overthrow. 
Ride,  ride,  Messala:  let  them  all  come  down.  [Exeunt. 

Julius  Ccesar,  V.  ii. 

SALARINO.    Not  in  love  neither  ?     Then  let's  say  you're 

sad, 

Because  you  are  not  merry  ;  and  'twere  as  easy 
For  you  to  laugh  and  leap,  and  say  you're  merry, 
Because  you  are  not  sad. 

Merchant  of  Fem'ce,  I.  i. 

LAUNCELOT.  Well,  well ;  but,  for  mine  own  part,  as  I  have  set 
up  my  rest  to  run  away,  so  I  will  not  rest  till  I  have  run  some  ground. 


120  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

My  master's  a  very  Jew :  give  him  a  present !  give  him  a  halter  :  I  am 
f amish'd  in  his  service ;  you  may  tell  every  finger  I  have  with  mv 
ribs.  —  Merchant  of  Venice,  II.  ii. 

It  will  be  seen  that  rate  helps  to  express  either  of  the 
four  principal  types  of  utterance. 

1.  Formulation,   in   its  various    offices,  is    recognized 
chiefly  by  this  element,  the  different  kinds  of  formulative 
matter  being  marked  mainly  by  differences  in  movement. 
The  relation  between  movement  and  the  varieties  of  formu- 
lation has  been  partly  developed  in  Chapter  IV. 

2.  Movement  also  assists  Discrimination  in  the  broader 
sense,  as  marking  the  difference  between  one  general  scene 
or  thought  and  its  opposite,  or  between  a  general  negative 
idea    and   its    antithetic   positive.       Negatives,    as    being 
lighter,  usually  move  faster,  assumed  matter  faster  than 
asserted;  subordination  faster;  doubt  more  slowly.     This 
broader  discrimination  is  not  wholly  dependent  upon  in- 
flection.    Slides  and  circumflexes  indicate  discrimination 
between  words  or  phrases ;  and  by  the  same  natural  prin- 
ciple of  opposition,  the  differences  between  one  general 
thought  and  another,  occupying  each  a  paragraph  or  a 
division  of   the  discourse,   must  be    expressed  by  those 
elements  which  are  naturally  adapted  to  the  use  of  the 
larger  divisions  of  language ;   and  one  of  these  elements  is 
Rate,  or  Movement. 

Example.  —  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  that  battle.  The 
cannonading ;  the  landing  of  the  British ;  their  advance ;  the  cool- 
ness with  which  the  charge  was  met ;  the  repulse ;  the  second  attack : 
the  second  repulse ;  the  burning  of  Charlestown ;  and,  finally,  the 
closing  assault,  and  the  slow  retreat  of  the  Americans,  — the  history 
of  all  these  is  familiar.  —  WEBSTER. 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES  'OF  SPEECH.  121 

3.  Again,  Emotion  will  most  sensibly  affect  the  rate. 
Whatever  awakens  feelings   of   cheerfulness    and   merri- 
ment, or  of   intensity  and  rage,  will   quicken  the  rate ; 
while  that  which  deepens,  ennobles,  or  oppresses  the  feel- 
ings will  show  itself  in  slower  movement.     For  examples 
of  Emotion  affecting  movement,  refer  to  Chapter  VII. 

4.  So,  too,  the  different  kinds  of  Energy,  as  applied  to 
whole  passages,  will  affect  the  rate,  and  be  affected  by  it. 
Stress  and  movement  will  react  mutually.     For  example  : 
Abruptness  will  generally  tend  to  rapidity ;  insistence  or 
enlargement,  to  slowness.     For  examples,  refer  to  Chapter 
VIII. 

H.     RHYTHM   OF    SPEECH. 


Nothing  is  more  vital  to  speech  than  the  due  propor- 
tion of  light  and  shade,  or  of  accented  and  unaccented 
elements  in  sentences.  Regular  recurrence  of  accent  pro- 
duces poetic  rhythms,  or  scansion.  It  is  not  our  purpose 
here  to  go  into  the  minutise  of  this  subject.  The  student 
is  advised  at  this  point  to  review  Prosody.  We  are  to 
study  here  prose-rhythms,  which  only  approximate  the 
regularity  of  scansion,  and  which  may  even  seem  to  pre- 
sent no  real  resemblance  to  it.  That  there  is,  however, 
a  more  or  less  regular  flow  of  impulses,  is  proved  by  the 
fact  that  we  find  real  difficulty  in  either  speaking  or  hear- 
ing a  succession  of  words  lacking  this  property. 

In  calling  attention  to  this  matter  of  prose-rhythm, 
there  is  no  intention  to  induce  a  droning  or  "sing-song" 
style  of  reading  or  speaking,  neither  is  it  the  object  to 
produce  an  exaggerated  or  a  mechanical  measurement  of 
accents ;  exactly  the  opposite  effects  result  from  a  due 
regard  for  the  rhythm  of  speech. 


122  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

1.    The  common  poetic  rhythms  are  a  good  illustration 
and  basis  :  — 

(1)  Trochaic.      Here  the  foot  consists  of  an  accented 
syllable  followed  by  an  unaccented ;   as,  — 

"  Sing,  O  I  Song  of  |  Hiawatha, 
Of  the  |  happy  |  days  that  |  followed." 

"  Know,  my  |  soul,  thy  |  full  sal  |  vation." 

(2)  Iambic  verse.     The  foot  consists  of  a  "•  short "  syl- 
lable, or  unaccented,  followed  by  a  "long,"  or  accented; 
as,— 


The  mel  |  anchol  |  y  days  |  are  come, 
The  sad  |  dest  of  j  the  year. 


BliYANT. 


(3)  Dactylic  verse.     The  foot  consists  of  an  accented 
syllable  followed  by  two   unaccented  syllables,  giving  a 
gliding,  and  often  a  somewhat  tripping  movement ;   as,  — 

Clear  was  the  |  heaven  and  |  blue,  ||  and  |  May  with  her 

cap  crown' d  with  I  roses.  .   .  . 

LONGFELLOW. 

(4)  Anapestic  verse.     In  this  the  foot  consists  of  two 
unaccented  syllables  followed  by  an  accented. 

The  Assyr  |  ian  came  down  |  like  a  wolf  |  on  the  fold, 
And  his  co  (  horts  were  gleam  |  ing  with  pur  |  pie  and  gold. 

BYRON. 

(5)  Amphibrachic.     Each  foot  here  consists  of  an  un- 
accented, an  accented,  and  another  unaccented  syllable ; 
or,  short,  long,  short. 

"  The  Lord  is  |  my  shepherd,  |  no  want  shall  J  I  know." 

(6)  Spondaic.      In  this  both  syllables  of  the  foot  are 
accented,  and  are  approximately  equal  in  their  volume  and 
force.     Such  feet  come  in  usually  as  exceptions,  and  for 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  123 

special   emphasis.      They   detain  by  increased  quantity; 
as, — 

.  .  .  And  the  |  wind  and  the  |  brooklet 
Murmured  |  gladness  and  |  peace  —  God's  \  peace  with  |  lips 

rosy  I  tinted. 

LONGFELLOW. 

The  significance  of  these  different  kinds  of  meter  or 
verse  lies  deeper  than  the  mere  form.  It  is  not  simply 
a  question  of  symmetry,  or  agreeable  succession  or  colloca- 
tion of  syllables.  There  is  in  each  kind  of  meter  a  certain 
spirit  and  expressiveness.  Thus,  the  trochaic  gives  more 
of  promptness,  incisiveness,  spring,  and  boldness  than  does 
the  iambic.  The  trochaic  is  better  suited,  therefore,  to 
the  utterance  of  the  cheerful,  the  buoyant,  the  abrupt ;  it 
is  somewhat  analogous  to  the  initial  stress.  The  iambic, 
beginning  light  and  ending  heavy,  is  quite  like  the  final 
stress,  and  is  more  insistent  in  its  nature ;  it  becomes, 
therefore,  the  natural  expression  of  the  more  serious  and 
grave  sentiments.  The  trisyllabic  kinds  of  verse  give,  in 
their  nature,  more  of  the  gliding  or  springing  effect.  This 
is  due,  primarily,  to  the  fact  that  each  foot  has  twice  as 
much  light  sound  as  heavy.  There  is  a  certain  elastic  re- 
bound upon  the  unaccented  syllable.  This  is  more  particu- 
larly noticeable  in  the  dactylic  measure.  The  amphibrach 
has  a  sort  of  rhythmic  surge  or  plunge  or  dash,  which 
fits  it  for  many  bold  measures,  like  that  in  Lochinvar^ 
by  Scott:  — 

"  O,  young  Lochinvar  is  come  out  of  the  west, 
Through  all  the  wide  border  his  steed  is  the  best." 


Or  this,  from  Robert  Browning  :  — 

"I  sprang  to  the  stirrup,  and  Jori 
I  galloped,  Dirck  galloped,  we  gi 

It  may  give  also  the  uplift  of  encouragement 


"I  sprang  to  the  stirrup,  and  Joris  and  he, 
I  galloped,  Dirck  galloped,  we  galloped  all  three." 


124  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

The  anapestic  will  have  a  happy  combination  of  full  or 
buoyant  flow,  or  of  a  broader  and  more  dignified  sweep,  to- 
gether with  a  certain  insistence  and  weight.  This  is  well 
illustrated  in  the  Destruction  of  Sennacherib  by  Byron ; 
for  example,  this  passage :  - 

"  For  the  Angel  of  Death  spread  his  wings  o'er  the  blast, 
And  breathed  on  the  face  of  the  foe  as  he  passed." 

Suppose  now  these  two  lines  were  reconstructed  so  as 
to  present  essentially  the  same  picture,  but  in  iambic 
verse.  We  should  still  retain  something  of  the  insist- 
ence ;  but,  by  removing  one  of  the  short  syllables  from 
each  foot,  we  have  diminished  the  breadth  and  dignity  of 
the  verse.  We  have  taken  out  its  majesty  and  sweep. 
Try  it,  thus:  - 

"The  Angel,  Death,  came  on  the  blast, 
And  breathed  on  face  of  foes  he  passed. 

A  comparison  of  the  two  will  show  that  it  is  not 
simply  nor  mainly  the  less  complete  logical  or  grammatical, 
or  even  pictorial  properties  in  which  the  iambic  form  is  in- 
ferior to  the  anapestic.  The  strength  and  the  nobleness 
of  the  anapestic  movement  itself,  with  its  full  and  flowing 
and  far-reaching  energy,  is  the  essential,  the  vital  element 
in  Byron's  magnificent  stanzas. 

The  general  significance  of  these  different  types  of 
rhythm  may  be  better  kept  in  mind  by  noting  the  follow- 
ing mnemonic  epithets,  which  are  at  least  suggestive  :  - 


Poetic 
Khythm. 


Trochaic  (— ^)  springy,  cheery,  prompt. 
Iambic  (^— )  more  grave,  insistent,  firm. 
Dactylic  (-^^)  sprightly  and  musical. 
Amphibrachic  (^-^)  with  stronger  uplifting. 
Anapestic  (^^-)  with  a  full,  buoyant  sweep. 
^  Spondaic  ( — )  full  sound,  even. 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPUECH.  125 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  effects  here  indicated 
are  the  usual  and  normal  ones.  They  are  subject  to  many 
modifications.  The  thought  contained  in  the  poetry  is 
often  modified  or  supplemented,  rather  than  emphasized 
or  directly  expressed,  by  the  movement  of  the  verse. 

2.  Prose-Rhythms.  —  The  same  element  of  effective- 
ness which  we  feel  in  the  rhythm  of  poetry,  becomes,  in 
a  modified  form,  a  vital  element  in  expressive  prose. 
There  is  not,  of  course,  the  regularity  of  verse,  but  there  is 
an  approximation  to  it  in  the  proportion  and  arrangement 
of  accents.  All  prose  has  some  rhythm.  Prose-rhythm 
is  the  apportioning  of  time  by  accents,  or  impulses;  and 
the  movement  thus  produced  indicates  the  speaker's  mood 
or  purpose  in  the  utterance. 

Prose-rhythm  differs  from  poetic  rhythm  chiefly  in 
these  two  respects  :  - 

(1)  It  is  less  regular. 

(2)  It  is  much  more  determined  —  often  almost  wholly 
so  —  by  the  reader's  or  speaker's  interpretation,  and  not 
by  the  formation  of  the  line.     It  will  be  sufficient  for  our 
use  to  make  four  classes  of  prose-rhythms,  which  we  shall 
name  Abrupt,  Insistent,  Gliding,  and  Weighty. 

Some  help  may  be  gained  by  considering  the  analogy 
of  prose-rhythms  to  poetical,  and  of  the  latter  to  the 
rhythms  of  music.  We  may  say  that  all  the  varieties  of 
rhythm  are  derived  from  two  primal  types,  —  two-pulse 
measure  and  three-pulse  measure. 

The  simplest  form  of  two-pulse  measure  in  music  is 
that  which  fits  trochaic  verse.  It  is  expressed  thus  :  — 


I  J     J  J  II 


126  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

Abrupt  Rhythm  is  the  analogous  effect  in  prose. 

The  rhythm  depends  upon  succession  of  accents,  and 
these  accents  occur  at  regular  intervals  of  time.  The 
rhythm  will  be  essentially  the  same  if  the  even  notes  rep- 
resenting the  accented  and  unaccented  portions  of  the 
measure  should  either  or  both  of  them  be  subdivided. 
The  rhythm  is  a  matter  of  the  apportionment  of  time, 
marked  by  accents,  or  vocal  stresses,  in  the  utterance. 
Suppose  the  accented  note  to  be  divided  into  two  eighth- 
notes  ;  thus :  — 

I  /  /  J      J   /  / 

the  rhythm  is  essentially  unchanged. 

Suppose,  again,  that  the  unaccented  part  should  be  di- 
vided into  three,  or  even  into  four ;  so  long  as  the  portions 
of  time  occupied  by  accented  and  unaccented  parts  of  the 
measure  remain  the  same,  the  rhythm  is  unchanged.  Now, 
even  in  music  and  in  poetry  these  equal  portions  of  the 
measure  are  often  thus  subdivided,  giving  variety  and  flex- 
ibility to  the  rhythm.  In  prose-rhythms  there  is  still  more 
variety,  and  two,  three,  or  even  four  essentially  unaccented 
syllables  may  occupy  one  time-portion  of  the  phrase  or 
grouping,  which  if  it  were  in  verse  we  should  call  the 
foot;  or  in  music,  the  measure. 

Take  this  example  from  Dickens's  David  Copp er field : 
"  I  wrapped  myself  in  my  clothes  as  quickly  as  I  could." 
Here  we  shall  fail  to  catch  the  sense  of  the  rhythm  if  we 
attempt  to  scan  the  syllables  according  to  meter.  The 
rhythm  must  express  the  rapidity  of  movement  demanded 
by  the  scene  ;  and  the  accents  must  fall  upon  the  emphatic 
words,  "wrapped,"  "clothes,"  and  "quickly,"  or  "could." 


MUSICAL    PROPERTIES    OF    SPEECH.  127 

The  personal  pronoun  "  I "  will  not  form  any  essential 
part  of  the  measure,  being  unemphatic,  undiscriminative, 
assumed  as  a  part  of  the  verb,  as  it  is  in  Latin;  it  might 
be  considered  in  a  musical  notation  as  a  sort  of  grace  note, 
or  appoggiatura,  in  connection  with  the  tone  given  to  the 
word  "  wrapped."  The  syllables  "  myself  in  my  "  may  be 
considered  to  occupy  together  the  unaccented  part  of  an 
abrupt  group,  like  a  trochaic  foot;  so  may  the  four  sylla- 
bles "as  quickly  as;"  the  second  UI"  is  likewise  treated 
as  an  essential  part  of  the  verb,  and  is  not  given  any 
noticeable  place  in  the  rhythm.  The  line  might  be  ap- 
proximately represented  in  its  rhythm  by  the  following 
notation :  — 


J    <M.MJ 

1  wrapped  my-self  in  my  clothes    as  quickly  as   I      could. 

It  is  by  no  means  intended  that  prose  shall  be  scanned 
or  sung  or  measured  by  beating  time.  The  force  of  these 
illustrations  is  simply  in  the  analogy  they  bear  to  the  more 
definitely  marked  forms  of  rhythm  in  verse  and  in  music, 
especially  in  the  recitative.  And  the  point  to  be  remem- 
bered might  be  expressed,  a  fortiori,  thus,  If,  even  in  the 
mechanically  regular  groupings  of  music  and  of  verse,  such 
alterations,  substitutions,  and  divisions  may  occur,  much 
more  may  they  occur  in  the  less  regular  groupings  of 
prose,  and  yet  retain  an  essential  rhythm.  It  must  ever 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  rhythm  of  prose,  like  the  mel- 
ody of  speech,  is  mainly  a  matter  of  the  reader's  interpre- 
tation. In  the  truest  light  this  enhances  the  artistic  qual- 
ities of  both  prose-rhythms  and  speech-melodies,  by  their 
very  flexibility,  which  invites  inventive  skill  and  original- 


128 


PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 


ity  of  interpretation.  To  create  a  melody  or  adapt  a 
rhythm  from  one's  own  insight  into  the  significance  and 
requirements  of  the  passage,  is  higher  art  than  to  follow  a 
definitely  prescribed  form,  either  in  pitches  or  in  rhythms. 
The  Insistent  or  iambic  rhythms  are  also  based  on  the 
principle  of  twos,  but  begin  on  the  unaccented  part  of  the 
measure,  thus:  — 


J-Ui 


If        a  -  ny,       speak;     for 


him     have    I      of  - 


u\\ 


fend-  ed. 


a 


J- , ,  JV  i  J      / 


If        a     -     ny,     speak;   for 


him    have    I          of -fended. 


The  Gliding  rhythms  of  prose  are  analogous  to  the  tri- 
ple, or  trisyllabic,  rhythms  in  verse,  and  are  all  derived 
from  the  simple  type  of  three-pulse  time,  of  which  3-8 
measure  might  be  taken  as  the  norm. 

The  dactyl  uses  this  measure  in  its  simplest  form. 
"Trippingly,"  "tenderly,"  "merrily,"  "joyously,"  "ear- 
nestly," and  the  like,  are  natural  dactyls. 


Trip -ping-  ly,  mer  -  ri  -     ly. 


The  amphibrach  would  seem  to  be  made  by  the  same 
measure,  beginning  the  foot  on  the  unaccented  part, 
thus :  — 

N      N     K    N  l  '  N  .   N  .  -h     ^^^         I ! 

n      J  J  •         9       \     •         9         9  9         9         9       \     9          \\ 

I     sprang    to    the     stir-rup,  and      Jo-ris,  and      he. 


MUSICAL    PROPERTIES    OF    SPEECH.  129 

"Rejoicing,"  "receding,"  "surrounding,"  "uplifting,"  are 
amphibrachic  words. 

The  anapest  would  begin  with  the  last  two  notes  of  the 
measure,  and  complete  its  foot  on  the  first,  or  accented, 
part  of  the  following  measure,  thus:  — 


Thou  art  gone   to  the  grave,but    we  will  not    de  -  pi  ore  thee, 

*  II 

Though  sor-  row  and    dark-ness    en  -com-  pass  the  tomb. 

Weighty  rhythms  in  prose  are  like  spondaic  effects  in 
verse,  and  have  close  analogy  in  the  even  movement  of 
choral  music,  or,  still  better,  in  those  exceptional  passages 
in  which  a  single  syllable  occupies  an  entire  measure  of 
the  music,  so  that  essentially  each  syllable  is  accented.  A 
fine  case  of  this  is  in  the  closing  passage  of  the  Messiah 
chorus  :  "  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray."  The 
spondaic  effect  is  very  pronounced  in  the  music  interpret- 
ing these  words  :  "  And  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the 
iniquity  of  us  all." 

Order  of  Study.  —  After  regular  stanzas,  which  most 
clearly  reveal  the  rhythm,  take  blank  verse,  like  that  of 
Shakespeare  or  Milton,  and  note  the  effects  of  the  rhythm. 
A  displaced  accent  or  an  imperfect  line  will  cheapen  and 
almost  destroy  the  effect  in  many  places;  while  in  other 
lines  change  of  rhythm,  by  substituting  one  foot  for  an- 
other, not  only  gives  pleasing  variety  in  the  music  of  the 
verse,  but  often  suggests  a  distinct  rhetorical  significance 
which  could  scarcely  be  so  delicately  or  so  economically 
conveyed  in  any  other  way. 


130  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

Next  take  prose  passages  that  are  specially  rhythmical, 
those  which  are  semi-poetic  being  'the  best  at  this  stage ; 
divide  them  into  feet  approximately;  that  is,  separate,  as 
in  scanning,  the  groups  of  syllables  which  cluster  about 
every  accented  syllable;  not  expecting,  of  course,  to  find 
perfect  uniformity,  and  allowing  for  a  compromise  between 
the  ideal  rhythmic  flow  and  the  logical  requirements  of 
the  grammatical  and  rhetorical  groupings.  Striking  re- 
semblances will  be  found  between  the  passages  in  such 
prose  selections  and  the  kinds  of  verse  they  resemble. 

The  most  incisive  and  promptly  energetic  passages,  as 
in  explanatory  and  didactic  matter,  and  in  surprise,  impa- 
tience, prompt  decision,  —  all  that  would  naturally  take 
the  initial  stress,  —  will  be  found  to  resemble  strongly  the 
trochaic  verse. 

More  grave  and  insistent  passages,  those  expressing  set- 
tled determination,  deep  conviction,  dignity,  authority,  and 
the  like,  —  such  as  will  best  be  rendered  in  final  stress,  — 
will  reveal  a  noticeable  resemblance  to  the  iambic  verse. 

The  more  gliding  will  resemble  some  one  of  the  trisyl- 
labic verses. 

The  most  weighty  of  all,  occurring  in  specially  em- 
phatic spots,  will  often  be  like  spondees  in  a  poetic  line. 

Note  the  delicacy  and  strength  of  the  rhythms  in  these 
passages  from  Elaine's  Eulogy  of  G  ar field  :  — 

"Not  alone  for  the  one  short  moment  in  which,  stunned  and 
dazed,  he  could  give  up  life,  hardly  aware  of  its  relinquishment,  but 
through  days  of  deadly  languor,  through  weeks  of  agony,  that  was 
not  less  agony  because  silently  borne,  with  clear  sight  and  calm 
courage,  he  looked  into  his  open  grave. 

"  Gently,  silently,  the  love  of  xa  great  nation  bore  the  pale  suf- 
ferer to  the  longed-for  healing  of  the  sea,  to  live  or  to  die,  as  God 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  131 

should  will,  within  sight  of  its  heaving  billows,  within  sound  of  its 
manifold  voices.  With  wan,  fevered  face  tenderly  lifted  to  the 
cooling  breeze,  he  looked  out  wistfully  upon  the  ocean's  changing 
wonders;  on  its  fair  sails,  whitening  in  the  morning  light;  on  its 
restless  waves,  rolling  shoreward  to  break  and  die  beneath  the  noon- 
day sun  ;  on  the  red  clouds  of  evening,  arching  low  to  the  horizon ; 
on  the  serene  and  shining  pathway  of  the  stars.  Let  us  think  that 
his  dying  eyes  read  a  mystic  meaning,  which  only  the  rapt  and  part- 
ing soul  may  know.  Let  us  believe  that  in  the  silence  of  the  reced- 
ing world  he  heard  the  great  waves  breaking  on  a  further  shore,  and 
felt  already  upon  his  wasted  brow  the  breath  of  the  eternal  morning." 

The  words,  "  through  days  of  deadly  languor,  through 
weeks  of  agony,"  are  to  be  interpreted  with  the  rhythm  of 
weight  (spondaic),  as  expressing  the  seriousness,  the  op- 
pressiveness, the  tension  of  the  situation.  The  following 
clause,  "that  was  not  less  agony  because  silently  borne," 
has  a  gliding  rhythm  like  that  of  a  mild  dactyl.  It  ex- 
presses the  assumed  and  repetitious.  In  the  last  clause, 
"clear  sight,"  "calm  courage,"  "open  grave,"  are  essen- 
tially spondaic.  In  the  next  paragraph  the  epithets 
"gently,"  "silently,"  "tenderly,"  "wistfully,"  all  ex- 
press the  sense  of  ideality,  tranquillity,  and  affection, 
which  gives  color  to  this  passage,  and  naturally  the  words 
fall  into  the  gliding  rhythm  of  the  dactylic  type.  "  Roll- 
ing shoreward"  gives,  by  its  spondaic  effect,  a  realizing 
sense  of  the  majesty  and  sublimity  of  the  ocean,  and  not 
less  of  the  great  forces  of  time  and  eternity,  which  it  fig- 
uratively presents  in  this  connection.  How  sublime  and 
spiritually  uplifting,  yet  how  unobtrusive,  are  these  last 
lines :  "  He  heard  the  great  waves  breaking  on  a  further 
shore,  and  felt  already  upon  his  wasted  brow  the  breath 
of  the  eternal  morning  "  !  Their  effect  is  greatly  enhanced 
by  the  mingling  of  the  weighty  (spondaic),  and  the  gliding 


132  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

of  the  anapestic  variety.  It  is  scarcely  conceivable  that 
the  sentiment  could  be  so  fully  expressed  in  any  other 
style  of  rhythm. 

The  gliding  rhythms  might  be  subdivided  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

That  which  approaches  nearest  to  the  dactylic  type 
expresses  thought  which  is  assumed,  eommonplace,  nega- 
tive, transitional,  conciliatory ;  in  a  word,  whatever  passes 
with  the  easiest  possible  movement,  and  is  designed  to 
produce  the  most  comfortable  or  the  most  matter-of-course 
effect. 

The  gliding  rhythm  of  the  amphibrachic  variety,  that 
which  has  the  accent,  or  ictus,  near  the  middle  of  its 
groups,  and  which  therefore  resembles  and  fits  the  median 
stress,  is  well  adapted  to  all  buoyant  effects,  as  encourage- 
ment, exhortation,  boldness,  with  some  reach  or  sweep, 
all  that  uplifts  and  stimulates,  —  whatever  expresses  the 
cheery  and  hearty,  rather  than  the  easily  comfortable. 

The  gliding  rhythm  of  the  anapestic  style,  throwing  its 
volume  toward  the  end  of  its  measures,  typifies  the  sense 
of  reach,  extent,  breadth,  fullness,  together  with  ideality  or 
exaltation.  It  may  have  a  certain  type  of  encouragement, 
but  lacks  the  personal  element  and  the  direct  contact, 
being  more  elevated,  and  approaching  the  stateliness  of 
thorough  stress. 

In  general  we  may  say  that  the  dissyllabic  groupings 
in  prose  are  more  intellectual,  or  else  are  more  simply  and 
directly  volitional ;  while  the  trisyllabic  are  primarily  emo- 
tional. There  is  in  the  three-syllable  rhythms  an  agreeable 
flow,  which  may  mean  conciliation,  cheerful  animation, 
merriment,  buoyancy,  or  the  stronger  emotions  awakened 
by  the  sense  of  nobility  and  grandeur.  The  significance  of 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  133 

each  of  the  four  types  of  prose-rhythm  may  be  more  read- 
ily remembered  by  this  little  table :  - 

(Abrupt,  like  Trochaic  Verse  and  Initial  Stress. 
Insistent,  like  Iambic  Verse  and  Final  Stress. 
Gliding,  like  Trisyllabic  Verse  and  Median  Stress. 
Weighty,  like  Spondaic  Verse  and  Thorough  Stress. 

Take  the  following  sentences  in  Hamlet's  advice  to  the 
players,  Hamlet,  Act  III.  Scene  ii. :  — 

"  Speak  the  speech,  I  pray  you,  as  I  pronounced  it  to  you." 

So  far  the  rhythm  is  most  naturally  of  the  incisive, 
initial  stress  type,  similar  to  the  trochaic  verse. 

"  Trippingly  on  the  tongue," 

gives  us  almost  the  equivalent  of  two  dactylic  feet;  and 
the  reason  is  obvious.  The  sound  measures  the  sense,  giv- 
ing a  gliding  and  easy  flow. 

"  But  if  you  mouth  it,  as  many  of  your  players  do,  I  had  as  lief 
the  town  crier  spoke  my  lines." 

This  is,  for  the  most  part,  earnest,  somewhat  insistent- 
It  is  the  final  stress  mood,  and  is  similar  to  the  iambic  verse. 
In  the  last  words,  — 

"  The  town  crier  spoke  my  lines," 

we  have  an  approach  to  the  spondee,  which  gives  a  climax 
of  intensity  and  earnestness. 

Notice  the  abruptness  of  impatience  in  these  expressive 
words :  - 

"  O,  it  offends  me  to  the  soul  to  hear  a  robustious,  periwig-pated 
fellow  tear  a  passion  to  tatters !  " 


134  PRINCIPLES  OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

Certainly  the  effect  of  this  sentence  does  not  depenc? 
wholly  upon  the  sound  of  the  words,  with  their  sharp, 
biting  consonants,  but  largely  upon  the  rhythm.  And 
observe  how  the  accent  and  the  rhythm  change  in  the 
following  words:  — 

"  To  very  rags,  to  split  the  ears  of  the  groundlings." 

Here  we  have  the  iambic,  the  insistent. 

The  remainder  of  this  remarkable  speech  may  be  ana- 
lyzed in  a  similar  way ;  and  it  will  be  found  that  these 
rhythmic  elements  here  characterized  as  abrupt,  insistent, 
gliding,  and  weighty,  will  quite  nicely  measure  the  chan- 
ging moods  in  the  utterance. 

Examples  of  Prose-Rhythm,  to  be  A  nalyzed.  — 

We  rear  a  memorial  of  our  conviction  of  that  unmeasured  bene- 
fit which  has  been  conferred  on  our  own  land,  and  of  the  happy 
influences  which  have  been  produced,  by  the  same  events,  on  the 
general  interests  of  mankind.  We  come,  as  Americans,  to  mark  a 
spot  which  must  forever  be  dear  to  us  and  our  posterity. 

We  wish  that  this  column,  rising  towards  heaven  among  the 
pointed  spires  of  so  many  temples  dedicated  to  God,  may  contribute 
also  to  produce,  in  all  minds,  a  pious  feeling  of  dependence  and 
gratitude.  We  wish,  finally,  that  the  last  object  to  the  sight  of  him 
who  leaves  his  native  shore,  and  the  first  to  gladden  him  who  revisits 
it,  may  be  something  which  shall  remind  him  of  the  liberty  and 
glory  of  his  country.  Let  it  rise  !  let  it  rise,  till  it  meet  the  sun  in 
his  coming  ;  let  the  earliest  light  of  the  morning  gild  it,  and  parting 
day  linger  and  play  on  its  summit.  —  WEBSTER. 

Live  for  something.  Do  good  and  leave  behind  you  a  monu- 
ment of  virtue  that  the  storm  of  time  can  never  destroy.  Write 
your  name  in  kindness,  love,  and  mercy  on  the  hearts  of  thousands 
you  come  in  contact  with,  year  by  year  :  you  will  never  be  forgotten. 


MUSICAL  PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  136 

Your  name,  your  deeds,  will  be  as  legible  on  the  hearts  you  leave 
behind,  as  the  stars  on  the  brow  of  evening.  Good  deeds  will  shine 
as  the  stars  of  heaven.  —  CHALMERS. 

The  golden  ripple  on  the  wall  came  back  again,  and  nothing 
else  stirred  in  the  room.  The  old,  old  fashion !  The  fashion  that 
came  in  with  our  first  parents,  and  will  last  unchanged  until  our 
race  has  run  its  course,  and  the  wide  firmament  is  rolled  up  like  a 
scroll.  The  old,  old  fashion  —  Death.  O,  thank  God,  all  who  see 
it,  for  that  older  fashion  yet,  of  Immortality !  And  look  upon  us 
Angels  of  young  children,  with  regards  not  quite  estranged,  when 
the  swift  river  bears  us  to  the  ocean  !  —  DICKENS. 

Books  are  needed,  but  yet  not  many  books;  a  few  well  read. 
An  open,  true,  patient,  and  valiant  soul  is  needed :  that  is  the  one 
thing  needful.  —  CARLYLE. 

When  my  eyes  shall  be  turned  to  behold,  for  the  last  time,  the 
sun  in  heaven,  may  I  not  see  him  shining  on  the  broken  and  dis- 
honored fragments  of  a  once  glorious  Union  ;  on  Stages  dissevered, 
discordant,  belligerent ;  on  a  land  rent  with  civil  feuds,  or  drenched, 
it  may  be,  in  fraternal  blood!  Let  their  last  feeble  and  lingering 
glance  rather  behold  the  gorgeous  ensign  of  the  Republic,  now 
known  and  honored  throughout  the  Earth,  still  full  high  advanced, 
its  arms  and  trophies  streaming  in  their  original  luster,  not  a  stripe 
erased  or  polluted,  nor  a  single  star  obscured.  —  WEBSTER. 

Prose  writing  differs  from  prosodial  in  the  fact  of  ir- 
regular arrangement  of  syllables.  This  allows  groupings 
and  rhythms  to  be  very  flexible,  in  order  that  they  may 
express  different  interpretations,  feelings,  and  motives. 
Prose  is  thus  freer  than  poetry  —  more  adaptable.  It 
often  happens  that  a  line  of  poetry,  even,  may  be  scanned 
in  different  ways,  yielding  as  a  result  different  interpre- 
tations, or  at  least  a  different  spirit.  Thus  the  line, 
"  There  is  a  strange,  sweet  solace  in  the  thought,"  may 
be  scanned  as  an  iambic  pentameter,  which  it  technically 


136  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

is ;  or,  by  itself,  the  line  might  scan  as  composed  of  three 
anapests,  or,  more  strictly,  as  anapest,  amphibrach,  and 
anapest.  To  do  this  it  would  be  necessary  to  elide  only 
a  single  syllable,  the  word  "  is,"  or  unite  it  in  the  time  of 
one  syllable  with  the  indefinite  article  following ;  thus : 
"  There's  a  strange  —  sweet  solace  —  in  the  thought." 
It  is  evident  that  the  second  rendering  produces  much 
less  of  gravity  than  the  first  —  more  of  reverie,  with  a 
certain  freedom  and  unconstraint  —  a  sort  of  abandon. 

It  is  not  meant  that  poetry  can  often  be  thus  varied 
in  its  scansion  or  interpretation.  The  point  in  the  illus- 
tration is  simply  that  the  variable  nature  of  occasional 
lines  in  poetry  only  illustrates  the  greater  freedom  and 
adaptability  of  ordinary  prose.  In  poetry,  as  in  music, 
the  rhythm  is  for  the  most  part  determined  by  the  writer. 
In  prose,  on  the  other  hand,  the  rhythm  is  largely  deter- 
mined and  produced  by  the  reader.  Many  passages  of 
prose  are,  however,  so  distinctly  rhythmical  in  their  writ- 
ing, and  so  unmistakable  in  their  general  spirit,  that  the 
rhythm  is  largely  prescribed,  as  it  would  be  in  music. 
Such  passages,  however,  are  rare,  and  are  the  ones  that 
are  usually  called  "rhythmical,"  in  recognition  of  this 
distinctive  property.  They  are  not  the  only  rhythmical 
passages  in  the  language.  Every  passage  has  a  rhythm 
of  some  sort,  and  the  purpose  in  studying  prose-rhythms 
is  to  recognize  these  differences  in  expression  as  interpret- 
ing the  significance  of  the  passage. 

Interpretation  largely  governs  prose-rhythm.  The  first 
clause  of  Hamlet's  advice  to  the  players  is  susceptible  of 
several  different  rhythms  in  accordance  with  the  interpre- 
tation assumed.  If  you  take  it  to  be  a  prompt,  decisive,, 
authoritative,  and  somewhat  impulsive  command,  it  will 


MUSICAL    PROPERTIES    OF    SPEECH.  137 

fall  into  an  abrupt  rhythm  ;  thus  :  "  Speak  the  —  speech, 
I  —  pray  you,  as  —  I  pro  —  nounced  it  —  to  you."  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  you  assume  it  to  have  a  graver,  more 
serious,  and  more  dignified  bearing,  it  will  fall  into  the 
insistent,  or  iambic,  rhythm  :  "  —  Speak  —  the  speech  — 
I  pray  you  —  as  I  —  pronounced  —  it  to  you."  Or  again, 
if  it  is  thought  conciliatory,  kindly,  gentlemanly,  as  if 
Hamlet  took  for  granted  that  they  would  follow  his 
direction,  and  only  told  them  they  need  not  do  anything 
else,  then  the  line  acquires  a  gliding  rhythm ;  thus : 
"  Speak  the  speech  [dactyl]  —  I  pray  you  [amphibrach] 
—  as  I  pronounced  [approximately  anapest]  —  it  to  you 
[light  dactyl]."  This  last  is  probably  the  best  reading, 
though  it  is  usually  given  according  to  the  first  interpre- 
tation. 

This  element  of  rhythm  in  expression  is  one  of  the 
most  subtle  and  delicate,  yet  one  of  the  most  effective. 
Its  realization  gives  relief  to  the  voice  and  to  the  ear, 
secures  an  interpretative  variety  in  movement,  stress,  and 
accents,  and  greatly  favors  agreeable  and  expressive  mel- 
odies. 

The  study  of  prose-rhythms  should  have  a  beneficial 
reaction  upon  the  reading  of  verse.  The  rationalizing  of 
the  rhythm,  or,  in  other  words,  its  intellectual  interpreta- 
tion, should  save  the  reader  from  the  mere  scansion  of 
"  sing-song,"  which  is  utterly  unscholarly  and  childish. 
At  the  same  time,  the  recognition  of  rhythm  as  essential 
both  to  the  form  and  to  the  meaning  of  poetry  can  never 
be  overlooked  after  the  reader  has  learned  to  recognize 
the  special  significance  of  each  kind  of  rhythm.  It  very 
often  happens  that  a  passage  of  poetry  may,  without  alter- 
ing the  essential  framework  of  its  meter,  be  yet  shaded 


138  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

and  retouched  by  the  suggestions  of  other  elements  which, 
the  full  interpretation  of  the  thought  may  demand.  The 
vocal  interpretation  will  thus  supplement  the  poetry,  and 
add  to  the  music  of  the  verse  something  of  variety  and 
fullness,  which  a  mere  mechanical  following  of  its  scansion 
would  prevent. 

In  the  following  stanza,  which  is  iambic  as  a  whole, 
notice  the  partial  substitutions  of  some  feet,  which  give 
variety  and  richness  to  the  expression.  "  Bless  the  shad- 
ows "  are  two  trochees.  "  The  beautiful  shadows "  are 
essentially  two  amphibrachs.  The  trochaic  effect  gives  a 
somewhat  prompt,  cheery  impulse  to  the  will,  as  if  to 
arrest  the  attention,  and  give,  as  by  a  quick  heart-throb, 
the  sense  of  decision  and  vigor.  The  words,  u  the  beauti- 
ful shadows,"  fall  into  amphibrachs,  expressing  ideality 
with  a  certain  uplift  and  strength,  and  enhancing  the  in- 
terpretation of  the  figure  as  given  in  the  remainder  of  the 
stanza.  The  second  line,  in  its  simple  iambic  effect,  gives 
gravity,  seriousness,  a  mild  type  of  insistence,  serving  to 
impress  the  lesson.  The  substitution  of  the  two  anapests 
in  the  words  uas  thou  goest  abroad,"  gives  something  of 
enlargement  and  fullness  of  reach,  elevating  the  line  above 
a  mere  didactic  or  volitionally  insistent  motive.  The  re- 
maining three  lines  of  the  stanza  verge  closely  upon  the 
spondaic ;  and  they  thus  express  a  breadth,  a  dignity  and 
elevation,  a  sublimity,  which  could  hardly  be  given  by  any 
other  form :  — 

"  Bless  the  shadows,  the  beautiful  shadows, 
And  take  this  thought  as  thou  goest  abroad; 
In  heaven  and  earth, 
Shades  owe  their  birth 
To  light — and  light  is  the  shadow  of  God." 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  139 

Some  favorable  prose  writings  for  analysis  of  rhythm 
are  such  as  the  following  :  Webster's  oration  at  the  dedi- 
cation of  Bunker  Hill  Monument ;  many  passages  from 
Everett,  as,  for  example,  his  lecture  on  Washington,  the 
oration  on  the  First  Settlement  of  New  England,  his  eu- 
logy on  Lafayette  ;  and  many  others.  Almost  every  ora- 
tor who.  has  spoken  with  effect  has  given  models  in  this 
element  of  rhythm.  Nor  is  it  confined  to  oratory.  Speci- 
mens may  be  found  throughout  the  works  of  such  masters 
of  prose  style  as  Dickens,  Irving,  Hawthorne,  George  Eliot, 
Charles  Kingsley,  Macaulay,  and  Carlyle.  It  will  be  help- 
ful to  take  passages  that  are  especially  fine  or  strong  in 
their  rhythm,  and  try  to  paraphrase  them  into  forms  having 
different  rhythmic  character.  It  will  generally  be  found 
that  there  is  a  close  connection  between  the  rhythmic  and 
the  logical  properties  ;  the  body  answers  to  the  soul. 


III.     KEYS    AND    MELODY. 

The  element  of  pitch  is  seen  in  intervals,  or  relative 
distances  of  tones  from  each  other  in  the  scale,  and  in  the 
scales  or  keys  employed. 

Keys.  —  A  "  key  "  is  a  group  of  sounds  having  differ- 
ent pitches,  and  associated  together  by  .certain  relations  of 
sequence  and  dependence.  The  two  tones  most  character- 
istic and  determinative  in  a  key  are  the  "  tonic  "  and  the 
"  dominant."  These  are  in  speech  approximately,  as  they 
are  in  music  exactly,  a  fifth  apart  -t  being  recognized  as  the 
"  do  "  and  the  "  sol  "  of  the  key. 

1.  Animation,  vivacity,  triviality,  airiness,  brightness, 
idealitv."  or  excitement,  intensity  eagerness,  are  given  by 


140  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

high   keys.     They   are    naturally   associated    with   rapid 
movement. 

Examples.  — 

"  Haste  thee,  Nymph,  and  bring  with  thee 
Jest  and  youthful  jollity." 

ARIEL.     "All  hail,  great  master  !  grave  sir,  hail  !    I  come 
To  answer  thy  best  pleasure  ;  be't  to  fly, 
To  swim,  to  dive  into  the  fire,  to  ride 
On  the  curl'd  clouds  :  to  thy  strong  bidding  task 
Ariel,  and  all  his  quality." 

ARIEL.        "Where  the  bee  sucks,  there  suck  I: 
In  a  cowslip's  bell  I  lie; 
There  I  crouch  when  owls  do  cry. 
On  the  bat's  back  I  do  fly 
After  summer  merrily. 
Merrily,  shall  I  live  now 
Under  the  blossom  that  hangs  on  the  bough." 

MIRANDA.  "O,  wonder! 

How  many  goodly  creatures  are  there  here ! 
How  beauteous  mankind  is !  O  brave  new  world, 
That  has  such  people  in't!" 

2.  The     Commonplace — that   which   is    not    specially 
emphatic  —  is  expressed  by  medium  keys.     These  natu- 
rally fit  a  medium  rate,  and  are  used  in  the  great  bulk  of 
conversational  and  oratorical  matter. 

Examples.  —  "  There  was  a  man  sent  from  God  whose  name  was 
John." 

"  Happiness  is  reflective,  like  the  light  of  Heaven ;  and  every 
countenance,  bright  with  smiles,  and  glowing  with  innocent  enjoy- 
ment, is  a  mirror  transmitting  to  others  the  rays  of  a  supreme  and 
evershining  benevolence." 

3.  Gravity,  seriousness,  pathos,  and  certain  forms  of 
intensity,  for  example,  strong  determination,  are  given  in 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  141 

low  keys.  Almost  of  necessity  a  slow  movement  is  re- 
quired, as  the  vocal  organs  cannot  act  with  great  rapidity 
in  the  lower  tones. 

Examples.  — 

But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  his  coming  ?  —  Malachi. 

CASSIUS.     Portia,  art  thou  gone  ? 

BRUTUS.  No  more,  I  pray  you. 

BRUTUS.     Now,  as  you  are  a  Roman,  tell  me  true. 

MESS  ALA.     Then  like  a  Roman  bear  the  truth  I  tell: 
For  certain  she  is  dead,  and  by  strange  manner. 

BRUTUS.     Why,  farewell,  Portia.     We  must  die,  Messala: 
With  meditating  that  she  must  die  once, 
I  have  the  patience  to  endure  it  now. 

MESSALA.     Even  so  great  men  great  losses  should  endure. 

Julius  Ccesar,  IV.  iii. 

Classify  the  following  utterances  as  to  keys :  — 

VARRO.     Calls  my  lord  ? 

BRUTUS.     I  pray  you,  sirs,  lie  in  my  tent  and  sleep ; 
It  may  be  I  shall  raise  you  by  and  by 
On  business  to  my  brother  Cassius. 

VARRO.     So  please  you,  we  will  stand  and  watch  your  pleasure. 

BRUTUS.     I  will  not  have  it  so  :  lie  down,  good  sirs  ; 
It  may  be  I  shall  otherwise  bethink  me. 
Look,  Lucius,  here's  the  book  I  sought  for  so  ; 
I  put  it  in  the  pocket  of  my  gown.        [VARRO  and  CLAUDIUS  lie  down. 

Lucius.     I  was  sure  your  lordship  did  not  give  it  me. 

BRUTUS.     Bear  with  me,  good  boy,  I  am  much  forgetful. 
Canst  thou  hold  up  thy  heavy  eyes  awhile, 
And  touch  thy  instrument  a  strain  or  two  ? 

Lucius.     Ay,  my  lord,  an't  please  you. 

BRUTUS.  It  does,  my  boy: 

I  trouble  thee  too  much,  but  thou  art  willing. 

Lucius.     It  is  my  duty,  sir. 

BRUTUS.     I  should  not  urge  thy  duty  past  thy  might; 
I  know  young  bloods  look  for  a  time  of  rest. 

Lucius.     I  have  slept,  my  lord,  already. 


142  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

BRUTUS.     It  was  well  done  ;  and  thou  shall  sleep  again; 
I  will  not  hold  thee  long  :  if  I  do  live, 

I  will  be  good  to  thee.  [Music  and  a  song. 

This  is  a  sleepy  tune.     O  murderous  slumber, 
Lay'st  thou  thy  leaden  mace  upon  my  boy, 
That  plays  thee  music  ?     Gentle  knave,  good-night; 
I  will  not  do  thee  so  much  wrong  to  wake  thee : 
If  thou  dost  nod,  thou  break' st  thy  instrument: 
I'll  take  it  from  thee  ;  and,  good  boy,  good-night. 

Julius  Ccesar,  IV.  iii. 


Keys  of  Different  Voices.  —  Male  voices  will,  on  the 
average,  give  about  D  (middle  of  bass  staff)  as  the  dom- 
inant tone  of  their  medium  key ;  female  voices  nearly  an 
octave  higher.  These  tones  are,  respectively,  the  best  for 
general  practice.  The  male  voice  will  be  in  the  "lower 
chest"  action,  or  register;  the  female,  in  the  "upper 
chest."  There  is  less  difference  as  to  pitch  in  speech 
tones  between  high  arid  low  voices  than  is  often  supposed. 
The  difference  is  more  in  fullness  —  the  bass  and  alto 
voices  having  deeper,  larger  vibrations  in  the  lower  tones. 
Tenors  may  average  F  where  basses  would  give  D  ;  so- 
pranos D,  where  altos  would  give  B.  The  dominant  tone 
of  the  medium  key  should  leave  room  for  a  full  and  strong 
descending  fifth  without  forcing  the  lower  tone  of  the  in- 
terval. Every  voice  should  have  control  of  at  least  one 
octave  and  a  half  of  resonant  tones ;  most  voices  can  use 
two  octaves  or  more. 

Give  examples  of  passages  requiring  different  keys ; 
according  to  the  above  principles,  1,  2,  3. 

Melody,  as  here  treated  is  not  rhythm,  nor  euphony,  nor 
harmony.  Rhythm  has  already  been  discussed ;  euphony 
is  treated  under  "special  qualities,"  and  is  regarded  as 
suggestive  of  the  sense,  thus  covering  the  ground  usually 


MUSICAL    PROPERTIES    OF    SPEECH.  143 

treated  under  harmony.  Melody  here  means  a  succession 
or  sequence  of  pitches.  Broadly  defined,  it  may  be  consid- 
ered a  fuller  application  of  the  doctrines  of  inflection,  to- 
gether with  certain  added  elements  of  significance,  mainly 
emotional,  which  are  most  directly  and  definitely  symbol- 
ized by  the  element  of  motion.  Melody  in  the  voice  thus 
becomes  analogous  to  gesture  in  its  fuller  import,  as  in- 
cluding the  bearings  and  textures  of  the  body,  as  well  as 
the  definite  movements  of  gesticulation. 

As  to  Intervals  in  Melody.  —  1.  Small  diatonic  inter- 
vals give  the  commonplace,  unimpassioned,  conversational. 
The  voice  will  move  mostly  by  seconds  and  thirds,  except 
in  direct  interrogation  and  in  positive  affirmation,  where  it 
will  give  a  fifth,  ascending  and  descending  respectively. 

2.  Larger  intervals  give  boldness  or  hilarity,  like  free, 
large  movements  of  the  hand.     Sometimes  they  symbolize 
an  ascent  into  the  realm  of  ideality ;    thus  a  high  tone, 
held  lightly  and  easily,  may  suggest  a  separation  from  the 
physical  and  the  earthy.     Often  an  octave,  or  even  more, 
may  be  traversed. 

3.  Chromatic  intervals  give  intensity,  either  of  irrita- 
tion and  rage,  or  of  gity,  pathos,  humility,  etc. 

4.  Minors  give  sadness,  drooping,  depression ;   or  in- 
tensity,—  conflict  yielded  to,  or  overcome. 

5.  Unusual    intervals    (for   example,    the    augmented 
fourth,  the  sixth,  or  the  tenth)  give  unexpected  effects. 

Inflection  and  melody  mutually  react,  forming  ascend- 
ing, descending,  or  composite  melodies,  according  to  prev- 
alence of  rising  or  falling  slides,  or  of  circumflexes.  These 
are  sometimes  called  "sweeps." 

The  Emphatic  Elements  in  a  sentence  set  the  trend  of 
melody,  into  which  the  secondary  or  subordinate  elements 


144  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

are  attracted.  Thus  melody,  in  connection  with  grouping, 
serves  to  express  the  intellectual,  especially  the  discrim- 
inative properties  of  the  thought.  Melodies  that  tend 
upward  give  a  general  sense  of  incompleteness ;  those  tend- 
ing downward  suggest  completeness,  affirmation,  assertion, 
domination.  Antithetic  thoughts  expressed  in  clauses  or 
sentences  will  usually  take  contrasted  melodies,  just  as 
antithetic  words  take  contrasted  slides. 

Much  can  be  gained  at  certain  stages  of  the  study  by 
diagramming  sentences  and  passages  for  melody.  This 
need  not  be  done  by  using  actual  notes  on  the  musical 
staff,  but  quite  as  well,  and  often  better,  especially  for  dis- 
crimination, by  writing  the  words  in  such  shapes  and  rela- 
tions as  to  suggest  the  movements  of  the  voice  on  them ; 
thus: — 

bury  him ;  " 

to  Cse-  praise 

come  sar,  to 

"  I  not 

or,  by  simply  marking  on  the  board  or  paper  lines  and 
dots,  —  long,  bold  lines  for  the  emphatic  words,  and  lighter, 
shorter  lines,  or  mere  dots,  for  secondary  and  unimportant 
elements,  especially  for  that  which  is  subordinate. 

When  the  student  has  secured  accuracy  and  rapidity  in 
marking  inflections  as  heard  in  dictated  exercises,  he  will 
have  little  difficulty  in  expanding  these  into  melodies. 
The  diagramming  of  melodies  will  have  the  same  relation 
to  vocal  expression  that  diagramming  of  sentences  has  to 
analysis  in  grammar.  The  melody-diagrams  are  somewhat 
the  more  natural  and  directly  suggestive.  One  advantage 
of  the  freer  marking  by  lines  and  dots  is  that  it  leaves  the 
teacher  at  liberty  to  accommodate  the  scale  or  the  propor- 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  145 

tions  to  the  individual  student,  throwing  into  bold  relief 
any  feature  that  may,  for  any  reason,  need  to  be  specially 
emphasized.  But  such  devices,  whether  in  grammar,  in 
rhetoric,  in  logic,  or  in  vocal  expression,  are  of  course  only 
a  temporary  scaffolding. 

As  already  seen  in  the  significance  of  different  inter- 
vals, melody  has,  in  connection  with  qualities,  a  directly 
emotional  effect.  Combined  with  proper  forms  of  stress, 
it  becomes  also  volitional.  Perhaps  the  impulses  of  the 
will  are  quite  as  plainly  indicated  by  melodies  as  are  the 
emotional  conditions.  Indeed,  emotion  and  energy  are  so 
interblended  in  expression  that  it  is  difficult  to  separate 
them.  Minor  cadences  reveal  weakness  of  will  quite  as 
often  as  they  show  depression  of  feeling ;  any  expression 
of  a  subdued  state  of  feeling  is  often  saved  from  becom- 
ing enervated  or  unmanly  by  that  poise,  directness,  and 
"  tonicity  "  in  the  voice  which  is  symbolized  by  full  major 
melodies. 

The  following  examples,  derived  from  a  study  of  the 
relations  of  song  and  speech,  will  illustrate  various  ele- 
ments of  significance  in  melody,  especially  the  emotional 
and  the  volitional.  The  student  will  not,  of  course,  at- 
tempt to  make  an  exact  reproduction  of  these  musical 
melodies.  They  will  be  useful  in  showing  the  general 
outline  of  speech-melodies  fitted  to  express  similar  senti- 
ments. It  must  be  further  borne  in  mind  that  the  indi- 
vidual notes  in  speech  differ  from  those  of  song  in  an 
essential  feature,  —  that  of  continuity.  The  speaking  tone 
is  composite,  having  a  "  radical  "  and  a  "  vanish."  The 
radical  may  be  recognized  as  having  a  definite  pitch,  like 
that  of  a  musical  note.  The  only  practical  difficulty  in 
determining  the  pitch  is  the  short  duration  which  it  usu- 


146  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION, 

ally  has.  On  the  other  hand,  the  vanish  is  a  subtile,  glid- 
ing element,  immediately  following  the  radical,  and  closely 
united  with  it,  so  as  to  be  almost  indistinguishable  unless 
unnaturally  prolonged.  A  prolonging  or  drawling  of  this 
vanish  sometimes  produces  an  effect  similar  to  that  of  the 
circumflex,  from  which  it  differs  in  this  respect:  the  cir- 
cumflex proper  is  not  a  combination  of  radical  and  vanish, 
but  of  two  different  radicals. 

The  speaking  tone,  then,  is  constantly  moving,  upward 
or  downward;  whereas  the  singing  tone  is  held  for  an 
appreciable  time  on  the  same  unvarying  pitch.  This  has 
sometimes  been  called  "  level  pitch."  Exceptions  to  level 
pitch  in  singing  are  the  "  portamento  "  and  the  "  appog- 
giatura,".  which  perceptibly  resemble  certain  effects  of 
speech  ;  and  the  one  exception  to  waving  or  vanishing 
pitch  in  speaking  is  the  monotone,  which  strongly  re- 
sembles chanting.  Making  all  due  allowance  for  this 
difference  between  the  intonation  of  song  and  that  of 
speech,  it  will  still  be  true  that  the  melodies  of  music, 
particularly  the  intervals  of  expressive  recitatives,  afford 
many  valuable  hints  as  to  melodies  of  speech. 

The  examples  here  given  may  first  be  sung  (trans- 
posed into  any  other  key  if  more  convenient),  and  then 
immediately  read  in  approximately  the  same  intervals,  al- 
lowing perfectly  free  play  of  the  voice  as  to  radical  and 
vanish,  and  not  attempting  to  reproduce  the  time-effects 
of  the  song,  either  in  rhythms  or  in  relative  length  of 
notes.  Usually  pauses  will  be  substituted  for  prolonga- 
tions, though  fullness  of  quantity  in  speaking  may,  in 
large  degree,  suggest  the  same  effect  as  length  of  note  in 
singing. 

The  commonplace  or  unimpassioned  effect  of  small  dia 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES    OF  SPEECH.  147 

tonic  intervals  need  not  be  specially  illustrated  here.  That 
may  be  seen  in  the  early  phrases  of  the  aria  "  O  Rest  in 
the  Lord,"  from  Elijah,  and  in  many  examples  that  will 
easily  be  found.  Bolder,  more  pronounced  and  positive 
effect  is  realized  in  the  closing  phrases  of  "  But  the  Lord 
is  mindful,"  from  St.  Paul.  Notice,  also,  similar  effects, 
but  more  colloquial,  in  the  recitative,  "  Elijah,  get  thee 
hence,"  and  in  other  vigorous  recitatives,  as  well  as 
in  many  songs  of  a  dramatic  nature.  The  difference  be- 
tween minor  and  major  intervals,  as  also  that  between  the 
smaller  and  larger,  is  well  shown  in  two  contrasted  recita- 
tives from  the  same  oratorio. 


O  Thou,who    mak-est  Thine  An-  gels  Spir  -  its  :  — 

^-r-. •^Pkff t-^t^V        L~ 5=:=f: 


Thou,  whose  min-is-ters  are  flam-  ing     fires; 

-&- 


>-t>: 


r.       f     *?==^ 

I— I — F=E=^=  EH 


Let       them  now     de  -  scend. 

Here  the  minor  third  in  the  first  phrase  conveys  a 
sense  of  repression,  as  of  reverence  blending  almost  into 
awe.  The  wider  interval  of  the  fifth  in  the  second  phrase 
gives  something  more  of  strength,  as  the  soul  of  the  prophet 
begins  to  kindle  into  righteous  indignation ;  and  the  rapid 
ascent  of  the  octave,  followed  (as  it  would  be  in  speech) 
by  a  swift  falling  slide  of  the  octave  on  the  last  syllable 
of  "  descend,"  gives  the  full  climax  of  majesty  and  irresis- 
tible power. 


148 


PRINCIPLES  OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 


5Z|:  —  =£=  -fr~  if~  g   g   f  - 

—  b  —  c  —  i 

f»         1  •    |«-    tfp    --£;  
1  —  1  L  ....  K. 

Take     all  the  prophets    of      Baal,  and  let  not 


13 


one    of  them  es  -  cape  you,       Bring  them  down  to  Kishon's 

-f2- 


brook, 


and     there       let       them       be        slain. 


Note  in  this  example  the  effects  of  openness,  boldness, 
and  a  dash  of  vindictiveness,  given  mainly  by  the  inter- 
vals. It  is  more  human  than  the  foregoing  —  more  of  the 
earth,  earthy. 

Notice  similar  contrasted  effects  in  the  two  following 
examples :  — 

Adagio.  -==rr 


tz 


§ 


It     is      e  -    nough,       O     Lord,nowtake  a  -way  my 


nr* 


m 


j 


cres. 


r^-N-5^ 


-^ 


ft       £    :t  =t 
r  r  ** 


:       ~~i: 

=t  =t  =- 


-=; — =4- 


:£ 


P 


The  difference  in  expressiveness   resides  both  in    the 
keys,  with  their  consequent  intervals,  and  in  the  rhythms. 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  149 


life,          for     I    am  not     bet-  terthanmy  fa-thers! 


5« 


*  *  * 


. 


1 litn^-g-^Mt: 


allegro  vivace. 


$ 


-• •- 


F^Efi 


v—  ! v 


^0 


I    have  been  ver  -  y     jeal     -      ous   for       the 


S 


if 


-^-        -•- 


11 


Lord,       for  the     Lord     God     of     Hosts. 


-J- 


•  =r 


150 


PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 


Note  the  tenderness  and  pathos  given  by  chromatic  in- 
tervals in  the  following  example :  — 


m 


Sing  ye  praise,  all     ye     re-deem -ed       of     the 


nfe: 


E3 


V 


Lord,  Re-deem-ed  from  the  hand     of     the    foe, 

From  your  distress-es,  from  deep  af-  flic-tions. 

The  following  from  the  Erl-King,  by  Schubert,  shows 
a  different  effect  secured  by  chromatic  intervals  ;  namely, 
great  intensity,  that  of' fear  or  dread. 


O      fa  -  ther,  the       Erl-King     now  puts     forth  his 


arm,         Fa  -  ther,     the  Erl  -  King    has  done     me     harm. 


The  cessation  of  the  chromatic  effect  and  the  return  to 
wide  intervals  descending  by  a  fifth  to  the  key-note,  indi- 
cates the  suspension  of  the  terror,  and  the  acquiescence  of 
weakness,  submitting  to  the  inevitable.  The  effect  is  that 
of  finality,  with  sadness  and  gloom. 

Another  example  of  chromatic  interval  giving  great 
intensity,  in  this  case  that  of  pointed  energy  with  surprise, 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  151 

was  heard  by  the  writer 'in  a  most  effective  rhetorical  ren- 
dering of  a  sentence  from  G rattan  :  "  He  has  charged  me 
with  being  connected  with  the  rebels."  The  melody  of 
speech  was  precisely  that  of  the  ascending  chromatic  scale, 
closing  with  the  interval  of  an  octave,  discrete,  or  staccato, 
between  the  two  syllables  of  the  last  word ;  thns  :  - 


He  has  charged  me  with  be-  ing  con-nect-  ed  with  the  reb-els. 


Much  valuable  suggestion,  especially  for  advanced  stu- 
dents, may  be  gained  as  to  the  significance  of  melodies,  by 
analyzing  recitatives  in  their  connection,  entire  songs,  es- 
pecially of  the  more  poetic  or  romantic  type,  and  choruses 
that  are  especially  dramatic.  Such  forms  will  give  the 
most  of  direct  and  positive  light  upon  speaking  melodies, 
because  they  have  most  of  obvious  analogy.  Many  the- 
matic songs  and  choruses  will  also  suggest  the  germs  of 
melodies  as  truly  and  as  helpfully. 

The  Erl-Kiti(j  is  especially  commended  as  fruitful  in  its 
suggestions  of  melody. 

"Who  rideth  so  late  through  the  night  wind  wild?" 

This  is  given  in  easy,  didactic  intervals  ending  with  a 
rising  fifth. 

"It  is  the  father  with  his  child." 

This  line  follows  in  similar  intervals,  putting  "father"  at 
the  highest  point  in  the  melody,  and  ending  the  phrase  on 
the  key  note  with  descending  fifth,  like  affirmation. 

"  He  has  the  little  one  well  in  his  arm, 
He  holds  him  safe,  and  he  folds  him  warm." 


152  PRINCIPLES    OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

The  melody  here  has  gentle,  caressing,  falling  slides,  giving 
the  last  words  the  close  interval  which  marks  the  minor 
cadence,  expressing  tenderness,  an  inward  glow  and  fervor. 

"My  son,  why  hidest  thy  face  so  shy?" 

The  question  is  asked  with  plain,  open  intervals,  rising 
gently  to  the  last  as  if  in  tones  of  tenderness  and  solici- 
tude. 

"Seest  thou  not,  father,  the  Erl-King  nigh?" 

Here  the  intervals  suddenly  become  wide,  the  relative 
length  of  the  notes  greater,  and  the  whole  has  compara- 
tively a  startled  and  strained  effect. 

"  The  Erlen-King  with  train  and  crown." 

Here  is  introduced  a  chromatic  interval,  the  minor  second, 
giving  oppression  and  terror. 

"    ti  is  a  wreath  of  mist,  my  son." 

We  find  here  a  lower  range  of  tones,  with  simple,  small 
intervals,  as  if  by  quiet  and  commonplace  utterance  the 
father  would  restore  the  confidence  of  his  terrified  child. 

"  Come  lovely  boy,  come  go  with  me, 
Such  merry  plays  I  will  play  with  thee. 
Many  a  bright  flower  grows  on  the  strand, 
And  my  mother  has  many  a  gay  garment  at  hand." 

All  this  is  given  in  the  major  key,  with  open  intervals  of 
the  most  airy,  easy,  gliding,  alluring  nature. 

The  child  again  bursts  out  in  the  strained  expression 
of  closely  oppressed  chromatic  intervals :  - 

"  My  father,  my  father,  and  dost  thou  not  hear 
What  the  Erl-King  whispers  in  my  ear?" 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  153 

And  the  father  again,  with  open  and  smoothly  gliding 
intervals,  answers :  — 

"  Be  quiet,  ah,  be  still,  my  child, 
Through  withered  leaves  the  wind  howls  wild." 

Again  comes  the  bewitching  melody  of  the  "sprite,"  in 
wide,  dancing,  flitting  intervals. 

"Come  lovely  boy,  wilt  thou  go  with  me? 
My  daughters  fair  shall  wait  on  thee,        , 
My  daughters  their  nightly  revels  keep  ; 
They'll   sing,    and   they'll   dance,  and   they'll   rock  thee 
to  sleep." 

Again  the  frightened  child  calls  out  in  the  same  constraint 
of  narrow  interval,  but  this  time  in  a  higher  key. 

"  My  father,  my  father,  and  seest  thou  not 
The  Erl-King's  daughters  in  yon  dim  spot?" 

Once  more  the  lower  tones,  large  intervals,  with  prevail- 
ingly descending  melody,  express  the  assurance,  quiet, 
and  depth  of  confidence,  with  which  the  father  seeks  to 
still  the  child. 

Now  comes  a  different  element  in  the  melody.  The 
important  words  take  longer  notes,  the  melody  glides 
downward  in  beseeching  and  caressing  form,  but  at  the 
last  assumes  the  positive,  bold,  almost  angular  effect  of 
the  open  fifth. 

"I  love  thee!  thy  beauty  has  ravished  my  sense, 
And,  willing  or  not,  I  will  carry  thee  hence.  " 

For  the  last  time  comes  the  shriek  of  alarm  and  despair, 
in  the  same  constrained,  forced  utterance  of  chromatic 
,  but  this  time  at  the  very  top  of  the  scale. 

"  O  father,  the  Erl-King  now  puts  forth  his  arm, 
Father,  the  Erl-King  has  done  me  harm." 


154  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

Now  the  narrative  proceeds  in  the  intervals  of  the 
minor  scale,  giving  oppression,  gloom,  weirdness,  pathos, 
and  intensity,  on  the  word  "shudders;  "  the  grace  note, 
or  appoggiatura,  conveying  much  the  same  significance  as 
the  agitated  or  tremulous  quality  in  the  speaking  voice. 

"  The  father  shudders  ;  he  hurries  on  ; 
And  faster  he  holds  his  moaning  sou." 

The  denouement  is  most  pathetically  given  by  modula- 
tion to  another  key,  with  intervals  which  seem  strange  and 
unexpected,  and  leave  the  mind  in  an  unfinished,  almost 
bewildered  state,  picturing  most  effectively  the  broken 
ties,  the  disappointment,  the  desolation  of  the  scene. 

"  He  reaches  his  home  with  fear  and  dread, 
Lo!    in  his  arms  the  child  was  dead." 

Let  these  be  expressively  sung,  with  accompaniment; 
and  then  let  them  be  as  expressively  read,  in  melodies 
similar  to  those  of  the  music,  but  not  stiffly  copying  them. 
Many  less  pointedly  formative,  but  not  less  definitely  sug- 
gestive, may  be  found.  Indeed,  it  is  not  so  much  those 
which  definitely  resemble  the  melodies  of  speech,  as  those 
which  give  a  germinal  thought  in  the  theme,  that  offer 
most  of  real  suggestion  as  to  the  nature  and  significance 
of  speech  melodies. 


IV.    SPECIAL  QUALITIES. 

Different  shapings  of  the  mouth  cavity  produce  varying 
overtones,  and  impart  different  qualities,  even  with  the 
same  fundamental  voice  action.  Hence,  aside  from  the 
leading  kinds  of  quality  already  mentioned,  we  recognize 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH,  155 

some  special  qualities.  Of  these  there  are  six  distinctly 
recognizable,  corresponding  to  as  many  definite  shapes  of 
mouth,  and  represented  each  one  by  a  characteristic 
vowel. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  vowels  are  simply  quali- 
ties. Hence,  to  each  vowel  attaches  a  distinct  emotional 
significance.  Thus  oo  is  soothing ;  e  is  intense  ;  a  (better 
represented  by  the  German  <?)  is  great,  stately,  grand ;  i 
(ai)  is  bright,  wide,  high ;  o  is  noble  ;  while  a  (aJi)  is 
hearty.  Of  course  there  are  combinations  and  shadings 
of  these  effects  indefinite  in  number. 

At  the  request  of  the  author  the  following  analysis 
has  been  contributed  by  his  pupil  and  friend,  Mr.  Charles 
K.  Swartz :  — 

In  the  utterance  of  the  special  vowel  qualities  above  discussed,  a 
striking  analogy  is  found  to  exist  between  the  mental  concept  and 
its  physical  symbol.  Thus,  in  the  formation  of  the  vowel  oo,  the 
oral  organs  are  gently  relaxed,  the  tongue  lies  softly  on  the  floor  of 
the  mouth,  the  lips  are  slightly  parted,  and  that  peculiar  quality  is 
imparted  to  the  sound  which  is  recognized  by  the  ear  as  oo.  If  now 
the  oral  organs  become  more  tense,  and  the  edges  of  the  tongue  are 
turned  up,  and  the  lips  slightly  contracted,  the  vowel  quality  e  is 
produced,  whose  significance  is  strikingly  symbolized  by  the  tense 
conditions  of  the  oral  organs.  If  the  mouth  cavity  be  expanded  and 
the  opening  of  the  lips  made  round,  o  is  produced,  whose  signifi- 
cance, as  above  given,  is  noble;  its  more  generic  meaning  may  be 
viewed  as  large,  expanded.  If,  while  the  mouth  organs  are  in  the 
position  required  for  the  utterance  of  o,  the  tongue  and  lips  be  ren- 
dered tense,  whereby  their  texture  will  become  more  firm,  a  is  pro- 
duced. This  vowel,  signifying  that  which  is  great,  more  accurately 
expresses  a  double  element,  —  the  enlarged  and  the  intense,  —  both 
of  which  enter  into  the  concept  of  greatness.  Opening  the  mouth 
widely,  without  stiffening  or  unnatural  constraint  of  any  of  the  oral 
organs,  ah  is  produced ;  its  concept  being  openness,  heartiness,  but 


156  PRINCIPLES    OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

without  any  particular  intenseness.  If  while  held  in  the  last  posi- 
tion the  oral  organs  be  rendered  more  tense,  whereby  the  tongue 
will  be  made  slightly  concave,  the  lips  somewhat  drawn  together, 
the  sound  i  will  result.  The  mental  concept  expressed  by  i  when 
analyzed  will  be  found  to  consist  in  these  two  elements  :  wideness, 
and  intensity,  well  marked  in  the  words  high,  wide,  given  in  the 
discussion  preceding  as  its  key  words. 

These  analogies  may  be  summed  up  in  the  following  table :  — 

Oral  Organs.  Significance. 

Gently  relaxed  =00=  Soothing. 

Tense  =   e  =  Intense. 

Expanded  =   o  =  Noble,  enlarged,  expanded. 

Expanded  tense  =  a  =  Great,  largeness  with  intenseness. 

Open  =  ah  =  Hearty,  openness. 

Open  tense  =    i  =  High,  wide,  openness,  or  wideness 

with  intensity. 

The  essentially  diphthongal  character  of  e,  a,  i,  is  revealed  in 
the  above  table,  as  well  as  their  relation  to  the  vowels  oo,  o,  ah. 
This  accords  with  the  fact  that  in  certain  languages  e  is  considered 
a  modified  oo  (as  in  German  ii) ;  a  is  considered  a  modified  o  (as  in 
German  o  )  ;  while  i  is  recognized  as  equivalent  to  ah-e. 

It  is  believed  that  a  fuller  study  of  the  manner  in  which  par- 
ticular mental  concepts  have  become  associated  with  particular 
tone-qualities  will  reveal  facts  analogous  to  those  above  given.  In 
general  it  seems  probable  that  definite  mental  states  induce  particu- 
lar muscular  conditions  of  the  vocal  organs.  Each  muscular  condi- 
tion modifies  in  some  special  way  the  sound  uttered.  This  being 
learned  by  experience,  there  arises  that  association  between  mental 
concept  and  tone-quality  which  is  the  basis  of  the  expression  of 
thought  by  quality. 

As  in  "  quantity,"  so  in  quality,  there  are,  for  most 
situations,  words  naturally  suited  for  expression.  Study 
of  emotional  effects  in  poetry  and  oratory  will  discover 
many  of  these,  and  thus  greatly  enrich  one's  diction,  as 
well  as  his  delivery. 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES   OF  SPEECH.  157 

Any  vowels  may  be  tempered  or  colored  with  any 
others,  making  it  possible  to  change  somewhat  the  emo- 
tional character  of  a  passage,  even  with  words  naturally 
unfavorable. 

It  is  also  important  to  remember  that  the  essentially 
diphthongal  nature  of  many  of  the  vowels  gives  opportu- 
nity for  many  delicate  shadings  which  are  necessary  for 
full  vocal  expression.- 


•    NOTES   TO    CHAPTER   IX. 

NOTE  1. 

This  treatment  of  qualities  is  the  vocal  application  of  the  rhetorical 
properties  of  euphony  and  harmony,  as  treated  by  many  writers.  Pro- 
fessor Day,  in  his  Art  of  Discourse,  speaks  of  euphony  as  that  element 
in  style  which  "respects  the  character  of  the  sounds  of  words  regarded 
merely  as  sounds,  without  reference  to  any  thought  which  they  may 
express."  He  defines  harmony  as  that  property  which  "respects  the 
character  of  the  sounds  of  words  as  expressions  of  thought;"  and  he 
says,  "harmony,  in  the  wider  sense,  includes  harmony  proper,  rhythm, 
and  melody." 

We  have  treated  separately  the  topics  of  rhythm  and  melody,  and 
are  now  speaking  of  sounds  as  expressing  mental  states  or  emotional 
conditions.  We  hold  that  there  can  be  no  justification  for  sound  as 
sound  in  intelligent  utterance.  One  thing  sounds  better  than  another 
in  so  far  as  it  better  expresses  the  thought  —  with  this  modification; 
that  when  the  same  intellectual  perception,  or  the  same  image,  can  be 
equally  well  presented  by  two  utterances,  one  of  which  is  agreeable  and 
the  other  disagreeable,  the  preference  is  naturally  to  be  given  to  the 
agreeable  one.  Yet  even  here  there  is  a  reason  for  the  choice  in  this 
fact;  viz.,  that  the  quality  of  agreeableness  is  one  of  the  elements  of 
the  thought  as  expressed;  that  is,  it  is  a  part  of  the  speaker's  utter- 
ance, and  as  such  cannot  be  eliminated  nor  ignored  in  the  measurement 
of  the  thought.  It  remains,  therefore,  essentially  true  that  we  are  to 
measure  even  the  euphonic  elements  of  utterance  as  elements  in  the 
thought. 

Professor  Hepburn  says,  "So  intimate  is  the  connection  between 
sound  and  sense  that  if  we  have  chosen  the  fitting  words,  and  connected 


158  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

our  ideas  according  to  both  their  main  and  their  subordinate  relations, 
our  sentences  will  seldom  offend  the  ear.  Harmony  and  melody  are 
not  so  much  independent  qualities  as  the  natural  and  necessary  result 
of  the  conformity  of  language  to  thought  and  passion.  Inharmonious 
sentences  will  generally  be  found  to  be  deficient  in  correctness,  clear- 
ness, precision,  or  energy.  When  the  logical  defects  are  remedied,  the 
disagreeable  roughness  disappears." 

This  is  from  the  rhetorical  point  of  view;  and  the  same  will  hold  in 
vocal  expression.  In  elocution  much  mischief  has  been  done  by  as- 
suming that  sounds  have  a  value  of  their  own,  apart  from  the  sense. 
The  mouthing,  declaiming,  and  elocutionizing,  which  have  done  so 
much  to  disgust  sensible  men  with  the  very  name  "elocution,"  have 
been  due  largely  to  this  misconception. 

Those  who  practically  follow  the  advice  of  the  old-time  elocutionist, 
"  Whenever  you  speak,  use  as  much  voice  as  possible,"  may  well  be 
expected  to  abuse  the  delicate  properties  of  rhythm,  euphony,  and 
melody.  The  true  interpreter,  whose  business  is  with  the  thought,  will 
not,  indeed,  disregard  any  factor  in  its  expression;  but  all  the  details 
will  be  wisely  subordinated  to  the  central  purpose.  Thus  treated,  all 
properties  of  tone  and  action  will  be  more  pleasing  and  more  effective 
than  they  would  be  if  detached  from  that  purpose,  or  made  superior  to 
it.  The  body  is  better  as  a  body  when  obeying  the  purposes  of  a  noble 
soul.  In  all  study,  therefore,  of  qualities,  both  general  and  special,  seek 
to  find,  first  of  all,  the  purposes  in  the  utterance;  not  alone  the  logical 
and  intellectual  purposes,  but  as  well  the  imaginative,  the  emotional, 
and  the  volitional.  These,  justly  apprehended,  will  lead  to  a  temper- 
ate and  judicious  employment  of  all  the  subtler  properties  of  utterance, 
as  well  as  of  the  more  obvious  and  logical. 

NOTE  2. 

Study  change  of  movement  in  the  following  passages  :  — 
Gen.  xviii.  12-15,  xx.  11-12,  xxii.  10-12;  Ex.  viii.  1-5;  Josh.  x.  12-13; 
1  Sam.  xiv.  43-45,  xvii.  43-47;  Esther  v.  11-13;  Job  i.  10-12;  Ps.  xix.  1-9, 
cxxiv.;  Eccl.  iii.  1-11,  xi.  7-10;  Song  of  Sol.  vi.  10-13;  Isa.  i.  18-26,  iii.  25, 
iv.  2,  v.  1-7,  viii.  13-18,  xxii.  12-14 ;  Dan.  iii.  14-18,  24-25,  viii.  16-17 ;  Joel 
ii.  1-2;  Matt.  viii.  18-22,  ix.  27-28,  xv.  21-28;  Mark  x.  26-27,  46-52,  xi.  1-6, 
xiii.  1-2,  xiv.  13-21,  48-49;  Luke  ii.  10-14,  iii.  4-14,  iv.  3-4, 18-21,  41,  vi.  2-5, 
xx.  41^7;  John  xix.  15;  Rom.  iii.  10-19,  vii.  22,  viii.  1,  36-39,  xi.  28-36. 

NOTE  3. 

In  the  following  hymns,  describe  and  point  out  any  substitutions  of 
different  kinds  of  feet. 

"Sun  of  my  soul!  thou  Saviour  dear." 


MUSICAL   PROPERTIES    OF  SPEECH.  159 

"  Begin,  my  tongue,  some  heavenly  theme." 

"  My  God,  how  wonderful  thou  art." 

"  Come,  thou  Almighty  King." 

"  It  came  upon  the  midnight  clear." 

"I  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  say." 

"  When  I  survey  the  wondrous  cross." 

•'Hark,  ten  thousand  harps  and  voices." 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name." 

"  When  thou,  my  righteous  Judge,  shall  come." 

"Come,  ye  disconsolate." 

"  Just  as  I  am." 

"Sweet  was  the  time  when  first  I  felt." 

"Tell  me,  my  Saviour,  where  thou  dost  feed  thy  flock." 

"  Nearer,  my  God,  to  thee." 

"Art  thou  weary,  art  thou  laden?" 

"Ashamed  of  Jesus." 

"  Peace,  perfect  peace,  in  this  dark  world  of  sin." 

"  We  would  see  Jesus,  for  the  shadows  lengthen." 

"Walk  in  the  light!  so  shalt  thou  know." 

"Hark,  hark,  my  soul,  angelic  songs  are  swelling." 

"Lead,  kindly  Light." 

"  Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun." 

"Hail  to  the  brightness  of  Zion's  glad  morning." 

NOTE  4. 
Analyze  as  to  prose-rhythm. 

Gen.  i.  1-5,  xxvii.  30-40;  Ex.  xv.  1-18;  2  Sam.  xviii.  31-33,  xix.  5-7; 
2  Kings  vii.  9-10,  ix.  1-3;  Esther  vi.  10,  vii.  10;  Ps.  xix.  7-9,  xxiii.,  xcviii., 
ciii. ;  Eccl.  xi.  9-10,  xii.  1-7 ;  Song  of  Sol.  viii.  6-7,  vi.  10 ;  Isa.  xxix.  1,  lii. 
1-2,  liii.  6;  Matt.  vii.  1-2,  xxiii.  27-28,  37;  Mark  i.  1-3,  iv.  38-41,  xiii.  1-2; 
John  i.  1,  iv.  21-24,  x.  1-5 ;  Acts  v.  35-39,  vii.  51,  xx.  34-35,  xxiii.  26-30,  xxiv. 
2-21,  xxvi.  19-20;  1  Cor.  xii.,  xvi.  13;  Eph.  vi.  10-20;  1  Tim.  vi.  17-19;  Rev. 
iv.  8,  vii.  12,  xxii.  17. 

NOTE  5. 

Changes  of  key. 

Gen.  xxvii.  30-40,  xxxii.  3-12;  Ex.  xv.  21;  Ps.  xii.  3-5;  Isa.  vi.,  viii. 
19-20;  Ezek.  ix.  1-2;  Dan.  v.  17-18,  vi.  20-22;  Matt.  v.  21-22,  vii.  24-29,  viii. 
25-27,  ix.  23-26,  xi.  7-11 ;  Luke  vii.  2-9,  xi.  27-28 ;  John  xxi.  15-17 ;  Acts 
xxiii.  3-5,  6-9;  1  Cor.  viii.  4-6;  Rev.  xiv.  6-7. 

NOTE  6 
Special  qualities — vowel  and  consonant. 

Ps.  xlii.  7a,  xc.,  cxix.  97, 108,  cxxv.,  cxxxvi.,  cxxxviii. ;  Isa.  vi.  2-5,  xl., 
xlii.  1-4,  xliii.2-3a,  lii.  1-2,  liii.  4-5,  Iv.  6-13,  Iviii.  8-11,  Ix.  1 ;  Matt.  x.  29-31 ; 
John  xiv.  27 ;  Rev.  ii.  18,  viii.  13,  xiv.  13,  17-20,  xvi.  5-7,  xviii.  10,  xix.  1, 
xxii.  17. 


CHAPTER   X. 

CONCLUSION.  —  CRITICISM. 

Analysis.  —  Criticism  is  the  final  test  of  an  art  product.  Pop- 
ular criticism  expresses  general  impression  without  minute 
discrimination.  Technical  or  scholarly  criticism  attempts 
to  give  a  specific  judgment.  Province  of  criticism.  Indi- 
viduality in  expression  is  to  be  preserved,  while  the  indi- 
vidual is  broadened  and  symmetrized.  Criticism  applied 
to  the  more  objective  features  of  delivery  and  judged  by 
the  evident  purpose  in  the  communication.  Criticism  ap- 
plied to  subjective  properties,  as  self-control,  appreciation, 
directness,  enthusiasm,  personal  peculiarities.  Purpose 
and  paraphrase  as  related  to  criticism.  Mutual  helpful- 
ness is  the  object  in  all  criticism. 

An  art  product  has  its  final  test  in  a  discerning  criti- 
cism. The  art  student  should  himself  become  a  capable 
critic.  The  spontaneity  which  has  been  insisted  upon  is 
not  antagonized  by  proper  criticism.  It  is  rather  regulated 
and  directed  by  the  principles  of  criticism,  to  which  art  js 
naturally  amenable. 

We  say,  "You  should  render  the  thought,"  "You  m^t 
not  be  declamatory,"  etc. ;  but  what  is  declamation  ?  What 
is  it  to  interpret  the  thought?  Unless  we  can  find  the 
processes  of  the  thought,  and  tell  what  is  truly  manifestive, 
what  basis  have  we  for  criticism  ? 

Criticism  ought  to  mean  intelligent,  thorough,  and  can- 
did judgment.  Practically,  it  too  often  means  mere  fault- 
finding. 

160 


. 

CRITICISM.  161 

Criticism  may  be  divided  into  two  classes :  - 

1.  Popular,  expressing  a  general   approval   or  disap- 
proval, with  no  well-defined   or  scientifically  determined 
judgment  as  to  the  merits  of  the  work.     It  is  a  sort  of 
feeling  that  the  effect  is  right  or  wrong  because  it  agrees 
with,  or  differs  from,  a  preconceived  standard,  or  simply 
because  it  pleases  or  displeases  the  critic. 

2.  Technical  or  scholarly,  the  expression  of  a  specific 
judgment  from  which  personal  taste  and  feeling  are  largely 
eliminated.     Such  judgment  is  based  upon  definite  knowl- 
edge of  the  laws  of  thought  and  expression,  and  upon  a 
trained  ability  to  discern  whether  the  expression  justly 
embodies  the  thought.     It  studies  the  thought  from  the 
writer's  and  speaker's  point  of  view,  rather  than  from  the 
critic's    personal    view,    recognizing    the   individuality   of 
the  speaker  as  an  important  element  in  the  problem. 

Just  here  arises  the  question :  What  and  how  much  in 
expression  is  legitimate  subject  of  criticism?  Broadly  we 
may  answer:  All  that  has  to  do  with  the  manifestation 
of  purpose  is  amenable  to  scientific  criticism,  because  it 
employs  physical  means  which  are  subject  to  observation, 
classification,  and  generalization  —  in  a  word,  to  law ;  and 
because  men  do  recognize  certain  forms  of  expression  as 
symbolizing  certain  forms  of  thought,  feeling,  and  purpose. 
On  the  other  hand,  all  that  has  to  do  with  the  formation  of 
purpose  on  the  part  of  the  speaker  belongs  to  his  individu- 
ality, and  is  outside  the  pale  of  rhetorical  criticism.  The 
view  of  fact,  or  truth,  that  one  is  able  to  obtain  depends 
upon  his  temperament,  habits  of  mind,  associations,  con- 
stitutional or  accidental  limitations  —  his  personality ;  and 
the  use  of  fact,  or  truth,  which  he  chooses  to  make  depends 
upon  his  ethical  and  eesthetical  disposition.  These  quali- 


162  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL    EXPRESSION. 

ties  of  the  man,  however,  while  not  strictly  subject  to 
rhetorical  criticism,  may  yet  receive  much  of  suggestion 
from  a  -broad  study  of  the  properties  of  thought  as  related 
to  utterance. 

Individuality  in  Reading  and  Speaking.  —  In  what  has 
been  said  in  this  book,  it  has  not  been  intended  to  erect 
any  absolute  or  mechanical  standard  of  expression.  The 
elements  that  have  been  treated  are  always  to  be  adapted 
to  the  individual,  and  always  to  be  modified  by  personal 
properties,  as  temperament,  taste,  natural  voice  ;  and  also 
by  special  circumstances,  as  relations  of  speaker  and  audi- 
ence, occasion,  and  especially  by  the  purpose  in  the  utter- 
ance. 

Moreover,  all  the  elements  of  expression  represent  rel- 
ative effects,  not  absolute.  People  differ  in  their  concep- 
tion of  thought,  and  consequently  must  differ  in  utterance. 
One  is  naturally  calm,  simple,  and  unimpassioned ;  another 
naturally  sees  things  in  sharp  contrast ;  while  a  third  in- 
clines to  state  fact  or  argument  with  great  energy  ;  and  a 
fourth  can  never  dissociate  thought  from  emotion. 

To  say  that  all  these  must  speak  alike,  would  be  an  at- 
tempt to  destroy  the  very  charm  of  speech,  which  is  the 
expression  of  the  individual's  apprehension  of  the  thought, 
or  the  thought  as  measured  by  the  communicating  mind. 
Scarcely  less  absurd  would  it  be  to  assume  that  a  person 
naturally  deliberate  needs  no  quickening  of  the  other  ele- 
ments ;  or  that  one  naturally  intense  and  energetic  should 
always  employ  force  ;  or  that  a  naturally  emotional  person 
should  forever  be  showing  his  feelings. 

Every  one  needs  such  broadening  and  symmetrizing  as 
may  be  gained  from  a  discerning  study  of  the  moods  and 
means  of  utterance.  Some  need  this  much  less  than 


CRITICISM.  163 

others.  Such  are  naturally  versatile,  responsive,  and  well- 
balanced.  But  this  very  versatility  —  a  special  gift  to 
the  few  —  is  to  be  sought  by  the  many  through  broad  cul- 
ture. 

The  same  is  true  in  matters  of  physical  endowments 
and  acquirements,  as  voice,  bodily  bearing,  action.  No 
one  can  gain  much  by  imitating  another,  or  by  seeking  to 
acquire  the  same  flexibility  or  elasticity  of  vocal  action, 
the  same  volume  of  tone,  or  the  same  grace  or  fullness  of 
gesture.  But  while  not  to  be  imitated,  all  these  may  be 
emulated,  provided  only  that  one  follow  nature,  and  care- 
fully preserve  his  own  individuality. 

The  same  is  true  of  the  special  elements  of  expression. 
There  is  no  absolute  length  of  pause,  or  degree  of  quan- 
tity ;  there  is  no  arbitrary  scheme  of  inflections  or  melo- 
dies which  all  are  to  use  alike  in  all  cases,  nor  is  the 
degree  of  quickness  of  impulse,  or  intensity  of  pressure, 
or  fullness  of  swell,  the  same  for  all.  One  may  express 
feeling  sufficiently  with  very  slight  variation  of  quality, 
while  another  will  need  to  make  the  differences  quite 
marked.  In  one  the  least  gesture  is  sufficiently  expres- 
sive, while  the  same  amount  would  render  another  speaker 
stiff  and  constrained.  Then,  too,  men  will  always  differ 
as  to  the  amount  of  deliberation  needed  in  a  given  case ; 
ras  to  what  may  be  assumed,  and  what  needs  to  be  insisted 
upon ;  as  to  when  and  how  feeling  may  properly  be 
expressed.  Yet  within  the  limits  of  the  most  jealous 
individuality,  there  are  to  be  found  these  relative  measure- 
ments of  thought-properties,  and  their  corresponding  expo- 
nents in  elements  of  tone  and  action.  All  these  may  be 
studied,  not  only  without  detriment  to  individual  freedom, 
but  even  with  positive  gain ;  for  through  these  each  one 


164  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

may  find  his  own  way  into  the  fullest,  most  varied,  most 
natural  expression  of  which  he  is  capable. 

We  may  notice,  first :  - 

Objective  Properties  of  Delivery.  —  These  will  be,  first 
of  all,  the  Type,  as  formulative,  discriminative,  emotional, 
or  volitional.  One  must  judge  whether  the  speaker  or 
reader  has  apprehended  rightly  the  general  purpose  of  the 
article  or  passage,  and  must  sustain  his  criticism  by  specific 
reasons.  These  reasons  will  be  based  upon  the  recognized 
laws  of  thought  as  related  to  delivery. 

After  judging  of  the  moods  in  general,  and  of  the 
means  by  which  they  are  expressed,  as  movement,  key, 
melody,  interval,  general  quality,  general  force,  notice  par- 
ticular applications  of  pause,  quantity,  inflection,  quality, 
and  stress.  If  pauses  are  too  frequent  or  too  infrequent, 
too  long  or  too  short,  show  why.  If  a  rhetorical  pause 
is  overlooked,  point  it  out,  suggesting  what  additional 
implied  thought  might  have  been  recognized,  and  why. 
If  an  inflection  is  wrong,  let  that  appear  by  showing 
what  it  is  in  the  sentence  or  context  that  demands  "  in- 
completeness," "  completeness,"  or  some  composite  form. 
If  stress  has  been  wrongly  applied,  show  why  "abrupt- 
ness," or  "  insistence,"  or  "  uplifting  "  was  needed.  If 
qualities  do  not  seem  appropriate,  show  specifically  why 
orotund  is  demanded,  or  guttural  excluded.  Do  the  same 
as  to  gesture. 

Criticism  may  notice  also:  — 

Subjective  Properties.  —  Be  ready  to  point  out  the 
success  or  failure  of  the  speaker  in  self-control  and  re- 
pose ;  in  appreciation  of  subject  and  occasion ;  in  ani- 
mation and  enthusiasm.  Note  his  attitude  toward  the 
audience.  Judge  as  to  how  well  the  speaker  has  pre- 


CRITICISM.  165 

served  his  individuality.  Detect  imitation,  affectation, 
and  all  unnatural  effects.  Give  some  practical  sugges- 
tions as  to  personal  peculiarities  or  tendencies  in  voice, 
action,  facial  expression,  position,  pronunciation,  or  any 
unpleasant  mannerism.  It  is  a  grave  mistake,  however, 
to  assume  that  criticism  is  to  take  note  of  defects  only, 
Criticism,  as  the  word  historically  means,  is  the  exercise 
of  a  judgment.  Those  judgments  are  usually  most  help- 
ful which  draw  attention  to  purposes  and  processes  point- 
ing toward  the  normal,  healthy,  natural,  in  speech.  Hence 
the  critic  should  seek  first  of  all  to  discern  and  cordially 
recognize,  not  only  every  good  effect,  but  also  and  espe- 
cially every  good  effort  and  right  intention. 

Browning  incidentally  gives  a  great  lesson  in  art  criti- 
cism, when  he  makes  Andrea  del  Sarto  say,  regarding  a 
painting  that  was  manifestly  inadequate,  perhaps  even 
wrong,  in  some  technical  details,  "  He  meant  right." 

The  criticism  of  the  class-room  is  not  more  severe  nor 
more  unnatural,  nor  need  it  be  more  diverting,  than  the 
silent  criticism  to  which  the  speaker  is  unconsciously  sub- 
jected whenever  he  appears  before  an  audience.  The 
friendly,  judicious,  thoughtful  criticism,  given  in  a  schol- 
arly way,  even  professionally,  should  be  more  grateful 
than  the  undiscerning  and  often  irrelevant  expressions  of 
taste  or  whim  which  sometimes  pass  under  the  name  of 
criticism.  In  as  far  as  technical  criticism  assists  in  the 
correction  of  bad  habits  and  in  the  formation  of  good 
ones  while  the  student  is  under  drill,  in  so  far  it  forestalls 
and  disarms  much  of  the  less  helpful  and  more  disagree- 
able criticism  to  which,  if  he  becomes  a  public  speaker,  he 
will  surely  expose  himself. 

The  two  fundamental  things  in  criticism,  as  in  the 
study  of  one's  own  delivery,  may  be :  — 


166  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

Purpose  and  Paraphrase. 

The  purpose  must  be  made  the  basis  of  criticism,  as  it 
is  of  interpretation;  and  paraphrasing  may  be  employed 
by  the  critic  in  explaining  his  positions,  just  as  it  may  be 
used  by  the  speaker  himself  in  reformulating  the  thought 
preparatory  to  utterance.  If  the  criticism  is  given  viva 
voce,  as  in  case  of  teacher  and  pupil,  or  of  general  class 
criticism,  or  conversation,  the  critic  may  ask  the  criticised 
to  justify  his  rendering  by  paraphrase  or  restatement. 
_^Jt  is  always  to  be  remembered  that  the  object  of  criti- 
cism is  neither  fault-finding  nor  flattery,  but  the  expres- 
sion of  a  judgment,  unbiased  and  broad.  It  seeks  to  be 
useful  to  the  one  criticised,  to  the  critic,  and  to  listeners. 
The  soul  of  true  criticism  is  helpfulness. 


APPENDIX 

VOCAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Analysis Vocal  technique  has  two  factors,  psychical  and 

physical.  Psychical  leads  ;  hence  voice  treated  later.  The 
natural  and  the  habitual  in  speech.  Table  of  vocal  exer- 
cises showing  organs,  conditions,  properties,  technical  exer- 
cises. Functions  of  chest ;  double  office,  automatic  bellows 
and  resonance-chamber.  Tone  propagated,  not  propelled. 
Poise,  chest  expansion,  breathings,  counting,  chanting,  sen- 
tences and  passages.  Voice  as  related  to  different  types  of 
utterance.  Formulative,  different  kinds  of  introduction,  of 
proposition,  of  transition ;  Discriminative  matter,  positive 
and  negative ;  Emotion,  normal,  super-normal,  abnormal ; 
Volition,  abrupt,  insistent,  uplifting,  established,  violent. 
Artistic  study ;  accurate  measurement,  sensitive  response. 
Throat  relaxation,  shaking  of  larynx,  initial  k,  singing 
exercises,  even  notes,  triplets,  literary  passages  in  different 
rhythms.  Jaw;  drop  head  and  relax,  shake,  sing  favor- 
able syllables,  read  rapidly  in  different  rhythms.  Tongue ; 
placed,  depressed,  uvula  lifted,  open  vowels  used,  with 
exercises  for  jaw.  Oral  cavity;  tongue  placed,  humming 
vowels,  passing  from  most  closed  to  most  open ;  Semi-vowel 
consonants  exaggerated,  euphonious  poetry  intoned  and 
expressively  read.  Vocal  chords,  the  generating  source  of 
tone ;  Long  hum,  short  hum,  vowels  in  order,  breathless- 
ness  tested  by  flame.  Combine  with  previous  exercises. 
Articulating  organs;  Lips  in  p,  w,  and  /;  Tip  of  tongue 
in  t,  initial  or  front  r,  flame  test  for  all ;  Combination  of 
syllables.  Passages  for  articulation.  Abdominal  muscles 
described ;  their  function  in  producing  tone ;  exercises, 
deep  inspiration,  slow  expiration,  depressing  of  diaphragm 
and  abdomen,  contraction  of  abdominal  walls,  contraction 
of  diaphragm,  separate  and  combined  actions,  vowels  sung 
and  fully  spoken,  the  "calling  tone,"  sustained  passages. 
Summary. 

167 


168  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

IN  all  art-work  there  are  two  essential  factors :  first, 
the  mental ;  second,  the  physical.  There  must  be  a  con- 
ception in  the  mind,  and  then  some  way  of  expressing 
that  conception.  Thus,  every  art  must  have  its  materials 
of  representation.  In  Elocution  the  mental,  or  spiritual 
conceptions  consist  in  the  measurements  of  thought  and 
relations  of  thought,  which  we  have  traced  somewhat 
through  the  purposes  in  utterance.  The  restatement,  ex- 
pansion, condensation,  illustration,  and  all  other  forms  of 
modification  designed  to  give  the  speaker  himself  a  fresher 
momentary  realization  of  the  purposes  in  the  utterance, 
have  accompanied  every  stage  in  the  analysis  thus  far 
under  the  name  of  paraphrase.  The  mental  part  of  the 
work  of  expression  is  thus  embraced  under  these  two 
leading  terms,  purpose  and  paraphrase.  These  constitute 
the  rhetorical  preparation  for  utterance ;  but  these  alone 
are  not  sufficient  to  convey  thought  in  all  its  relations,  and 
in  all  its  emotional  and  energetic  properties.  There  must 
be  a  physical  medium  for  communication.  Such  medium 
consists  mainly  in  the  properties  of  tone  which  we  have 
considered ;  as  time,  pitch,  quality,  and  force,  under  the 
forms  of  movement,  rhythm,  inflection,  melody,  qualities 
general  and  special,  general  force  and  stress.  It  remains 
to  show  the  connection  between  these  rhetorical  properties 
of  utterance  and  special  cultivation  of  the  voice. 

Every  one  has  used  his  voice  from  infancy;  and  it  is 
natural  to  assume  that  the  action  which  has  become  habit- 
ual is  the  normal,  or  natural,  action.  This,  however,  is 
often  far  from  the  truth.  We  must  always  discriminate 
between  the  natural  and  the  habitual.  The  natural  is  that 
which  works  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  nature,  and  which 
justifies  itself  by  the  results  of  ease,  durability,  suitability, 
and  unobtrusiveness  of  action. 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  169 

The  normal  action  of  the  voice  has  been  intimated  in 
connection  with  the  normal  state  of  the  emotions.  It  is 
that  which  produces  the  pure  tone.  The  action  of  the 
different  parts  of  the  vocal  apparatus  according  to  the  pre- 
scriptions of  nature,  and  the  establishment  of  such  action 
and  of  the  normal  conditions  upon  which  it  depends,  by  the 
use  of  definite  and  systematic  exercises,  —  this  constitutes 
vocal  technique. 

While  it  is  true  that  there  can  be  no  really  expressive 
utterance  without  an  approximately  normal  vocal  action,  it 
is  true,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  vocal  technique  itself 
will  best  be  developed  and  established  under  the  guidance 
of  the  rhetorical  spirit ;  that  is,  the  spirit  of  genuine  and 
untrammeled  communication. 

All  the  special  exercises  included  in  the  accompanying 
vocal  chart  may  be  thought  of  in  connection  with  the  dif- 
ferent moods  of  utterance.  The  exercises,  while  primarily 
physical,  and  designed  specially  to  secure  the  right  techni- 
cal action  of  the  parts,  may  yet  be  treated  so  as  to  fit  the 
different  moods  of  utterance ;  and  they  may  be  more  in- 
telligently practiced  after  the  study  of  these  expressional 
moods  than  before.  This  is  true  especially  of  the  practical 
studies  in  sentences  and  paragraphs  which  close  each  list 
of  exercises. 

Some  further  explanation  may  render  more  intelligible 
the  directions  for  the  discipline  of  each  organ. 

It  is  important  to  keep  constantly  in  mind  all  parts  of 
the  vocal  apparatus,  in  order  to  avoid  ruts  and  hobbies. 
The  proper  action  of  any  one  part  alone  will  not  secure 
good  vocalization.  All  the  parts  are  mutually  dependent. 

In  a  system  of  voice  culture  we  might  commence  with 
any  one  of  the  organs.  Practically,  it  is  perhaps  most 


170 


PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 


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Poise. 
Stretching  of  Chest. 
Arm  movements.  «.  Draw  back, 

Expansion  of  j  J  I^T^ 
Breathing,  slowly,  and  then  rapid] 
Counting  numbers. 
Sentences  and  passages.  Earnest, 

Relaxation  of  Ne^k. 
Passive  shake  of  Larynx. 
Initial  k,  loose  and  easy. 
Test  of  freedom  by  hand  on  neck. 
Koo-koo  ;  even  notes. 
Koo-koo;  triplets. 
Passages,  light,  flexible,  with  wide 

Relaxation  of  Jaw. 
Fo-fa-fa. 
Fo-fa-fa-fa. 
Do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si-do,  in  rhythm: 
One,  two,  three,  four,  live,  six,  sev 
Selections,  bright,  merry,  open. 

Tip  to  Teeth. 
Fingers  under  Chin. 
Lifting  uvula  ;  yawning. 
Vowel  ah. 
Lines  and  passages  with  full  vowe 

Humming  (m).  Tongue  down. 
Oo-U  -o-ai-oh-ah  . 
Lines  of  Poetry. 
Passages  in  Prose,  smooth  and  res 

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EXERCISES  FOR  SECURING. 

M-m-m. 
!Oo-oo-oo,  as  in  foot, 
o-o-o,  as  in  bold, 
u-u-u,  as  in  tub. 
a-a-a,  as  in  far. 
Koo-koo,  alternating  with  oo,  o,  a. 
Exercise  in  thirds. 
Exercise  in  fifths  and  thirds,  with  skips. 
Passages  of  a  flexible  and  sprightly  nature. 

Lip  stroke  for  labials  :  pa,  ba,  ma,  fa. 
Lip  motion  for  iv,  wai-wo-we-wah. 
Teeth  and  lip  stroke  for/,  fo-fa-fa. 
T,  t,  r,  s,  ch,j  (tongue  stroke,  tip)  ;  exercise  ; 
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with  varied  rhythms. 
K,  koo-koo.  Varied  rhythms.  Tongue  stroke 
Passages  for  difficult  and  rapid  articulation. 

Slow,  full  inspiration,  with  abdominal  muse 
relaxed  ;  abdominal  muscles  passive. 
Slow  expulsion  by  contracting  Abdomen  and  u 
Note  feeling  of  indrawn  Abdomen.  Abdoi 
cles  active. 
Lyingon  back,  or  sitting  in  reclining  posture. 
a.  Depressing  Diaphragm  and  Abdomen. 
b.  Contraction  of  abdominal  muscles,  all< 
phragm  to  relax,  with  staccato  ah,  oh. 
c.  Contraction  of  Diaphragm,  allowing  Abdi 
lax,  with  staccato  notes. 
d.  Silent  contraction  of  muscles,  first  sepa 
then  together. 
e.  Simultaneous  contraction  of  all,  singing 
Standing  and  singing  vowels,  syllables,  and  pi 
Singing  tone  held  : 
a.  During  breath. 
b.  Up  and  down  scale. 
Calling-tone  in  vowels,  syllables,  and  sentence 
Passages  Full  and  Sustained. 

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172  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

advantageous  to  begin  with  the  development  of  the 
chest. 

I.  The  Chest  performs  a  double  office.  It  acts  as  an 
automatic  bellows,  and  also  as  a  resonance-chamber.  The 
second  office  is  practically  the  more  important  of  the  two. 
This  indicates  the  necessity  for  securing  perfect  openness. 
The  air  column  is  thus  deepened  and  broadened  ;  and,  be- 
ing held  approximately  quiet  during  speech,  this  enlarged 
air-chamber  reinforces  the  vibrations  of  the  vocal  cords, 
much  as  the  body  of  the  violin  enhances  the  vibrations 
generated  by  the  string.  It  is  the  greatest  mistake  to 
treat  the  chest  as  merely  a  bellows.  The  purity,  as  well  as 
depth,  resonance,  and  volume,  of  the  tone  depends  upon 
the  skill  with  which  the  vocal  cords  and  articulating 
organs  play  upon  this  quiet  air-chamber.  Such  action 
produces  musical  (regular  and  periodic)  vibrations.  Such 
vibrations  have  the  strongest  transmitting  power.  The 
tone,  as  it  were,  radiates  —  it  is  propagated,  rather  than 
propelled.  The  action  by  which  such  tone  is  produced 
depends  upon  skill  rather  than  muscular  strength.  The 
greatest  effort  is  put  forth  by  the  inspiratory  muscles,  not 
the  expiratory;  the  labor  and  skill  both  being  directed 
to  the  problem  of  holding,  during  the  utterance,  the  great- 
est practicable  amount  of  approximately  quiet  air,  which 
tends  to  expel  itself  by  the  natural  contraction  of  the  air- 
cells.  The  air-chamber  thus  becomes  at  the  same  time  an 
automatic  bellows  and  the  main  body  of  the  tone-produ- 
cing instrument. 

The  physical  sensations  accompanying  such  use  of  the 
voice  are  most  agreeable,  producing  a  sense  of  activity 
without  exertion  ;  giving  a  buoyant,  fresh,  inspiring,  en- 
livening sense,  which  well  fits  the  normal  attitude  for 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  173 

communication.     It  is  both  cause  and  effect  of  such  nor- 
mal expressional  mood. 

1.  Poise.  —  This   is  vital  in  all  vocal  action,  because 
without  it  there  can  be  no  free  breathing.     If  the  body  is 
out  of  balance,  all  parts  of  the  chest  and  waist  will  be  in 
some  measure  constricted,  thus  destroying  resonance,  both 
by  reducing  the  amount  of  air  received  into   the  lungs, 
and  by  preventing  the  vibration  of  the  walls  of  the  body, 
which  form  a  part  of  the  resonance  apparatus. 

In  securing  poise,  stand  first  on  both  feet,  with  the 
weight  well  toward  the  ball.  "  Let  the  hips  be  directly 
under  the  shoulders.  A  straight  line  should  pass  through 
the  center  of  ear,  shoulder,  hip,  knee,  and  instep."  Stand- 
ing in  position,  rise  elastically  toward  the  toe,  without  any 
swaying  of  the  body  forward  or  side  wise.  Each  time  the 
body  rises,  inhale  deeply  and  fully. 

2.  Stretching  of  Chest.  —  Place  the  back  of  one  hand 
just  below  the    shoulders,    with    fingers   of    the    other  a 
little  below  the  collar  bone.     Let  the  chest  collapse,  or 
fall  in.     Stretch  against  both  hands,  expanding  the  body 
in  a  diagonal  line,   outward  and  upward,  downward  and 
backward. 

The  object  in  this  exercise  is  twofold.  First,  it  is 
designed  to  secure  dignity  and  ease  of  bearing ;  and  second, 
to  prepare  for  full  respiration. 

3.  Arm   Movements.  —  (a)    Drawing   back.      Extend 
both  arms  forward  on  a  level  with  the  shoulders,  fingers 
extended,    palms    down.       Turning    the    palms    up    and 
clinching  the   hands,    draw   the   arms   slowly   and   firmly 
backward  until  the  fists  reach  the  shoulders.     Be  careful 
that  the  back  does  not  hollow  more  than  is  inevitable,  and 
that  the  body  does  not  lose  its  perfect  poise.     Repeat  this 


174  PRINCIPLES  OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

exercise  elastically  and  rhythmically,  part  of  the  time 
rising  to  the  toe  as  the  arms  are  drawn  backward.  Be 
careful  also  to  breathe  deeply,  and  by  power  of  will 
expand  the  waist  and  back. 

(6)  Setting  back.  Place  the  hands  in  front  of  the 
chest,  palms  outward ;  clinching  the  hands,  pass  them 
around  in  the  arc  of  a  circle,  until  they  come  in  line  with 
the  shoulders,  or,  if  possible,  pass  back  of  that  line. 

Here  there  will  be  great  danger  of  mechanically  hollow- 
ing the  back ;  prevent  this  by  volitional  expansion  of  the 
torso.  As  in  (a),  rise  rhythmically  and  elastically  to  the 
toe  during  a  part  of  the  exercise. 

(?)  Spreading.  Extend  the  arms  in  front  on  a  level 
with  the  shoulder,  touching  finger-tips.  Rising  to  the  toe, 
spread  the  arms  outward  until  they  come  upon  a  line  with 
the  shoulders,  or,  if  possible,  farther  backward,  even  so  as 
to  touch  the  backs  of  the  hands  together.  As  before,  be 
careful  to  expand  the  torso,  and  prevent  needless  hollow- 
ing of  the  back.  Be  careful  also  that  the  hips  do  not 
sway  forward  when  you  rise.  Move  in  a  straight  line 
upward,  keeping  perfect  poise.  Let  there  be  no  stiffness 
of  the  limbs  or  body.  All  must  be  firm,  but  perfectly 
elastic.  Part  of  the  time,  in  connection  with  the  spread- 
ing, step  forward,  first  in  " animation,"  then  in  full  "ex- 
plosion," lengthening  the  step  till  you  secure  the  greatest 
stretch  of  the  whole  frame  that  is  consistent  with  perfect 
comfort. 

4.  Special  Expansion  of  Parts.  —  («)  Diaphragm. 
Place  the  ends  of  the  fingers  just  over  the  pit  of  the 
stomach,  between  the  floating  ribs ;  push  inward,  exhal- 
ing ;  usually  blow  out  through  the  lips.  Exhaust  the 
chest  measurably,  and  you  will  perceive  that  the  diaphragm 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  175 

has  receded  and  moved  upward.  Now  hold  the  shoulders 
and  upper  chest  perfectly  still,  refill  your  lungs  by  bearing 
out  upon  your  fingers.  You  will  feel  the  diaphragm 
return  downward  and  outward.  Repeat  this  several  times 
with  slow  breathings ;  then,  as  a  mere  muscular  exercise 
without  regard  to  breath,  repeat  freely  for  control  of 
diaphragm  muscle.  Remember  that  the  diaphragm  itself 
is,  first  and  chiefly,  an  inspiratory  muscle.  Its  action 
deepens  the  chest,  assisting  in  the  drawing  and  retaining 
of  a  full  breath.  It  is  not  the  office  of  the  diaphragm 
directly  to  expel  the  air.  When  drawn  downward  and 
held  somewhat  tense,  the  diaphragm  becomes  a  part  of 
the  resonance  apparatus,  somewhat  analogous  to  the  lower 
drumhead. 

Practice  this  action  of  the  diaphragm,  sometimes 
rapidly  changing,  and  sometimes  holding  it  for  a  few 
seconds,  until  it  becomes  an  easy  and  agreeable  exercise. 
The  result  will  be  an  increase  in  depth,  resonance,  and 
elasticity  of  tone.  Make  no  jerky,  violent  motion,  and 
stop  before  any  lameness  or  great  weariness  results. 

(5)  Upper  chest.  Place-  the  tips  of  the  fingers  a  little 
below  the  collar-bone,  about  the  second  or  third  rib,  hold- 
ing the  shoulders,  waist,  and  back  quiet.  Bear  out  against 
your  fingers,  inhaling  all  you  can,  until  the  chest  is  car- 
ried out  to  its  fullest  extent.  Let  it  slowly  recede,  empty- 
ing the  chest  as  nearly  as  possible.  Repeat  this  process 
several  times  with  an  elastic  but  full  action.  Continue 
this  practice  many  times  a  day,  until  it  becomes  easy  and 
habitual  to  carry  the  chest  well  out. 

(c)  Sides.  Place  the  hands  upon  the  floating  ribs, 
thumbs  backward ;  holding  all  other  parts  as  still  as 
possible,  push  out  against  your  hands,  allowing  the  lungs 


176  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

to  fill  as  much  as  they  can.  Mechanically  push  in  upon 
the  ribs,  and  let  the  breath  escape.  Again  push  out,  and 
continue  the  practice  until  you  can,  at  will,  expand  at 
this  point  elastically  and  fully. 

(d)  Back.  Place  the  hands  upon  the  sides  as  in  (<?), 
but  with  the  thumbs  now  pointing  forward,  and  the  fingers 
passing  backward  around  the  body,  till  their  tips  nearly  or 
quite  touch  each  other.  Now  mechanically  press  in  upon 
the  body  while  expelling  the  breath  through  the  lips. 
When  the  lungs  are  emptied  (as  nearly  as  they  can  be  in 
this  way),  hold  all  other  parts  of  the  body  as  quiet  as 
possible,  and  push  out  against  your  fingers.  Repeat  and 
practice  as  in  the  other  cases. 

The  purpose  in  first  making  these  separate  expansions 
is,  by  giving  the  entire  will-power  to  each  one  at  a  time, 
to  gain  perfect  control  over  that  particular  part.  The 
result  will  be  that  the  chest  will  soon  come  to  expand  in 
all  directions  symmetrically  and  easily,  and  will  be  able  to 
remain  in  this  expanded  condition  during  a  reasonable 
sentence,  say  ten  to  twenty  words.  The  gain  will  be 
apparent  in  increased  fullness  and  ease  of  tone,  as  well  as 
in  repose  of  bearing. 

5 .  Breathings,  Slow  and  Rapid.  —  (#)  Slow.  Place 
the  hands  upon  the  sides,  fingers  front,  holding  the  shoul- 
ders still ;  expand  the  chest  fully  in  all  directions  during  a 
short  time,  say  five  or  six  seconds ;  then,  during  about  an 
equal  period,  gradually  diminish  the  chest  and  expel  the 
breath.  By  practice  this  exercise  may  be  gradually  in- 
creased in  length  until  you  can  easily  hold  the  breath  from 
twenty-five  to  fifty  seconds. 

(5)  Rapid.  Fill  the  lungs  as  quickly  as  possible,  mak- 
ing a  complete  expansion  of  the  chest.  After  holding  an 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  177 

instant,  exhale  as  quickly  as  possible,  nearly  exhausting 
them.  The  exhalation  may  be  mechanically  assisted  by 
pushing  in  the  walls  of  the  chest.  This  quick  breathing 
is  to  be  practiced  very  moderately,  and  in  case  of  delicate 
persons  may  often  better  be  entirely  omitted. 

6.  Counting.  — -  For  the  merest  mechanical  vocalization, 
numerals  are  as  good  as  anything.     Place  the  hands  on  the 
sides,  fingers  front,  upper  chest  well  out,  standing  in  poise, 
shoulders  quiet,  stretch  the  waist  until  you  have  a  fairly 
full  breath  ;   count  at  moderate  speed,  with  distinct  articu- 
lation, the  numerals  up  to  twenty.     For  the  first  twelve 
or  fifteen,  there  should  be  no  perceptible  diminution  in  the 
size  of  the  waist.     During  the  latter  part  of  the  breath 
the  ribs  will  gradually  fall  in,  and  the  diaphragm  gradually 
retreat  upward.     It  is  not  best  to  exhaust  the  chest  com- 
pletely.    In  practical  speaking  the  chest  is  never  empty 
during  the  utterance  of  a  sentence.     Sometimes  at  close 
of  paragraphs,  and  usually  at  transitions,  there  may  be  a 
total  change  for  an  instant,  the  chest  relaxing  completely ; 
but  returning  to  what  is  called  the  "  active  "  condition  as 
soon  as  another  sentence  begins. 

The  counting  exercises  may  be  gradually  extended, 
until  forty,  fifty,  or  more  numerals  are  spoken  in  one 
breath.  There  is  no  great  virtue  in  being  able  to  count 
the  greatest  number.  People  will  differ  greatly  in  length 
of  breath.  The  essential  thing  is  that  the  chest  be  trained 
to  stay  firmly  but  easily  open,  and  that  this  condition  shall 
last  somewhat  longer  than  will  practically  be  required  in 
ordinary  speaking  or  reading;  because  if  the  greater  can 
be  done  with  ease,  the  less  will  do  itself. 

7.  Sentences  and  Passages.  —  Having  secured  the  right 
mechanical  condition  and  technical  action  by  previous  ex- 


178  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

ercises,  apply  this  now  to  the  utterance  of  actual  thoughts 
and  sentiments.  In  this  part  of  the  study  the  connection 
of  technical  development  with  rhetorical  measurement  may 
be  made  to  appear. 

The  voice  has  in  general  two  elements,  or  there  are 
two  general  parts  of  the  apparatus  :  the  one  muscular, 
generating  vibrations  ;  and  the  other  resonant,  reinforcing, 
modifying,  shaping,  coloring  these  vibrations.  The  first 
imparts  to  the  tone  force,  energy,  and  is  expressive  of  the 
will;  the  second  imparts  quality  or  color,  and  is  expres- 
sive of  the  sensibilities.  The  fine  shadings  thus  imparted 
afford  means  for  the  most  sensitive  measurement  of  those 
subtle  elements  of  imagination,  emotion,  and  volition, 
which  the  human  voice  is  so  wonderfully  adapted  to  ex- 
press. This  remarkable  power  of  expression  is  revealed 
in  the  structure  of  the  organs.  In  the  voice  we  find  a 
combination  —  found  in  no  manufactured  instrument  — 
of  expansible  and  variable  resonators,  together  with  great 
variability  in  the  muscular  or  generating  parts  them- 
selves. The  resonance-chambers  can  be  made  relatively 
larger  or  smaller;  also  the  muscular  part  can  be  made 
relatively  tenser  or  more  soft.  This  latter  difference  has 
its  analogies  in  some  of  the  instruments,  especially  in  the 
violin,  where  different  tension  of  the  bow  favors  different 
qualities  in  the  tone.  The  analogy  would  be  closer  if  at 
the  same  time  the  body  of  the  instrument  could  vary  in 
the  size  of  its  air-chambers,  and  in  the  tensity  and  vibratil- 
ity  of  its  walls. 

Adaptation  of  the  Elements  of  Vocality  to  the  Types  of 
Utterance. 

1.    Formulative   Matter   of  the  various  kinds  requires 
precisely  the  condition  which  the  chest  exercises  are  de- 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  179 

signed  to  secure.  When  one  mind  addresses  another  mind 
with  the  intent  of  presenting  or  unfolding  ideas,  or  of  in- 
forming the  intellect,  the  mental  attitude  is  best  symbol- 
ized by  that  physical  condition  which  brings  the'  greatest 
ease,  self-possession,  self-forgetfulness,  and  the  most  nor- 
mal and  unobtrusive  vocal  action.  By  this  is  meant  that 
in  the  mood  of  formulation  there  shall  be  nothing  to  call 
special  attention  to  the  speaker  as  making  any  effort  to  be 
understood.  Now,  the  most  important  technical  element 
in  this  easy  and  automatic  vocal  action  is  the  full,  elastic 
chest.  What  is  said  here  will  apply  to  all  the  other  ele- 
ments of  vocalization,  but  is  perhaps  specially  noticeable 
in  connection  with  the  breathing.  Observe  its  application 
to  the  three  varieties  of  formulative  matter. 

For  examples  the  student  is  referred  to  the  correspond- 
ing points  in  the  earlier  portion  of  the  work. 

(«)  Introductory.  The  truly  introductory  attitude 
always  implies  that  some  preparatory  consideration  is  pre- 
sented to  the  mind  of  the  listener ;  and,  as  preparatory,  it 
must  not  laboriously  or  too  pointedly  call  attention  to  the 
thing  said  at  the  moment.  Just  here  is  one  of  the  great- 
est weaknesses  of  public  speakers.  A  great  amount  of 
physical  energy  on  the  part  of  the  speaker,  and  of  nervous 
energy  on  the  part  of  the  listener,  is  often  wasted  in 
merely  introductory  matter.  There  should  always  be 
such  spontaneity,  such  natural,  agreeable  action  of  the 
voice,  as  will  set  both  speaker  and  listener  perfectly  at 
ease,  and  so  prepare  for  the  passages  which  may  require 
more  effort. 

It  will  be  important  here  to  observe  what  has  been  said 
with  regard  to  rhythm.  An  unrhythmical  utterance  is 
always  laborious.  The  particular  character  of  the  intro- 


180  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

duction  will  indicate  the  kind  of  rhythm  to  be  employed. 
All  the  previous  exercises  for  development  of  the  chest, 
though  essentially  mechanical,  may  be  more  or  less  rhyth- 
mical ;  and  when  we  come  to  drill  on  sentences  and  pas- 
sages, the  rhythm  must  be  specially  observed. 

(£>)  Prepositional  Matter.  Here  there  is  more  of 
weight  and  volume  in  the  utterance.  As  we  have  seen,  it 
is  not  volitional  in  the  technical  sense ;  that  is,  it  does  not 
bear  directly  upon  the  will,  and  especially  it  does  not  re- 
veal any  purpose  on  the  part  of  the  speaker  to  move  the 
will.  The  intensity  and  fullness  of  the  utterance,  there- 
fore, must  be  of  this  automatic  and  unobtrusive  kind. 
The  listener  must  feel  that  the  thought  is  weighty  in  itself, 
and  not  that  the  speaker  is  attempting  to  make  it  such. 
Now  this  measurement  of  the  thought  as  prepositional 
may  be  in  the  speaker's  mind,  and  yet  his  design  may  be 
utterly  thwarted  by  a  forced,  mechanical,  laborious  utter- 
ance. It  is  absolutely  vital  to  the  true  rhetorical  interpre- 
tation of  propositional  matter,  that  the  body  of  the  tone 
itself  be  such  as  to  give  a  sense  of  weight  and  importance. 
It  must  have  an  easy  and  spontaneous  fullness. 

(c)  Transitional  Matter.  The  rhetorical  significance 
of  a  transition  indicates  always  some  change  in  the  weight 
of  the  thought,  that  which  merely  connects  being  always 
less  important  than  the  things  connected.  Here  a  right 
government  of  breath  and  of  the  volume  of  tone  depending 
thereon  will  obviously  be  the  technical  requisite  for  ex- 
pressive utterance. 

Recur  to  the  examples  in  the  chapter  on  formulation, 
and  practice  them  with  special  reference  to  the  control  of 
breath  through  the  chest  conditions  here  described.  Add 
many  other  examples,  original  and  selected.  Carefully 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  181 

measure  the  fullness  and  volume  of  the  tone  ;  and  be  very 
sure  to  avoid  mechanical  effort  in  any  case  of  formulative 
matter. 

2.  Discriminative  Matter.  —  In  the  broadest  sense,  dis- 
crimination, as  we  have  seen,  is  the  pointing  out  of  re- 
lations, particularly  of  contrasts.     While  inflection  is  the 
agent  in  particular  and  minute  applications,  every  other 
element  in  the  utterance  may,  in  its  place,  assist  in  the  ex- 
pression of  discrimination.       Differences  of  volume,  depth, 
and  intensity,  may  often  be  the  most  effective  means  of 
opposing  one  element  to  another.     This  is  notably  true  in 
antithesis,  when  a  negative  idea  is  opposed  to  a  positive, 
the  negative  member  naturally  taking  a  lighter  and  thinner 
tone ;   the  positive,  a  fuller  and  deeper.     Refer  to  exam- 
ples  under  Discrimination,  and,  in  connection  with  the 
proper  inflections,  study  this  element  of  volume,  as  devel- 
oped in  the  chest  exercises. 

3.  Emotion.  —  Emotion  is  directly  and  most  sensitively 
connected  with  chest  conditions.     This  fact  led  the  ancients 
to  place  the  soul,  or  seat  of  emotions,  in  the  region  of  the  dia- 
phragm.    This  seems  Nature's  automatic  gauge  of  emotion. 

(a)  Simply  Normal  feeling  will  express  itself  with  a 
reasonably  full,  and  not  greatly  distended,  chest,  and  will 
employ  an  action  that  is  the  result  of  previous  expansions, 
rather  than  the  attendant  of  a  present  effort  to  expand. 

(ft)  Enlarged,  ennobled,  or  deepened  feeling  will  be 
attended  with  a  present,  and  often  conscious,  expansion  of 
the  chest,  and  seemingly  of  the  whole  frame.  The  philos- 
ophy of  this  is  hinted  at  in  our  word  "  aspiration."  When 
one  aspires  to  something  high  and  worthy,  his  soul  is  filled 
with  the  appreciation  of  that  object,  and  instinctively  he 
fills  his  breast,  as  if  drawing  into  himself,  or  breathing  in, 


182  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

the  thing  to  which  he  aspires.  This  is  doubtless  the  fact 
underlying  many  expressions  of  the  sacred  writers ;  such 
as  the  following :  - 

I  opened  my  mouth,  and  panted :  for  I  longed  for  thy  com- 
mandments. —  Ps.  cxix.  131. 

As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul 
after  thee,  O  God.  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God  : 
When  shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God?  —  Ps.  xlii.  1-2. 

In  the  last  example,  the  figure  of  thirst  further  illus- 
trates this  point.  As  the  satisfaction  of  thirst  fills  one 
deeply  and  exhilaratingly,  so  does  the  gratification  of  a 
cherished  desire,  or  the  imagined  enjoyment  of  a  noble 
and  lofty  exercise.  All  this  indicates  the  vital  connection 
between  the  rhetorical  spirit  in  its  noblest  exercise  and 
the  thoroughly  trained  physical  exponent  of  the  same. 

(e)  Abnormal  feeling.  Suppression,  oppression,  se- 
verity, tremulousness,  are  all  vitally  connected  with  the 
breathing-apparatus.  While  the  physical  action  that  ex- 
presses these  abnormal  mental  states  is  itself  the  result  of 
an  abnormal  condition,  still  such  deviation  for  purposes 
of  expression  can  be  safely  and  effectively  made  only  after 
the  natural  action  is  understood  and  mastered. 

Perfect  technical  control  of  the  breath  will  be  found 
as  necessary  in  these  abnormal  types  as  in  the  normal. 
For  example,  suppression  is  illustrated,  rhetorically,  by 
the  figure  of  breathing  out;  as:  - 

Saul  yet  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against  the 
disciples  of  the  Lord.  —  Acts  ix.  1. 

Shylock,  hissing  out  his  hatred,  illustrates  this  when 
he  says,  aside  :  - 

These  be  the  Christian  husbands. 

Merchant  of  Venice,  IV,  i, 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  183 

Here,  obviously,  we  have  uncontrolled  breath,  physi- 
cally speaking ;  but  rhetorically  it  must  be  managed  from 
the  point  of  control. 

Again,  take  oppressed  feeling,  as  in  the  muffled  or 
shuddering  sound  of  the  pectoral  quality.  This  also,  in 
order  to  be  rhetorical^  expressive,  must  first  be  techni- 
cally mastered ;  and  the  chief  element  in  the  technical 
control  will  be  full,  deep  breathing. 

The  stern  or  hard  tone,  as  previously  said,  does  not 
depend  alone  upon  the  changed  condition  of  the  throat. 
Severity  may  be  mingled  with  a  certain  nobility  of  self- 
respect  ;  in  that  case  we  must  have  the  full  and  well-con- 
trolled breath  to  support  it.  In  meaner  or  more  malicious 
uses,  there  will  be  corresponding  changes  in  the  breath 
element. 

The  tremulous  or  agitated  tone  will  depend  princi- 
pally upon  the  condition  of  the  breath.  Physically,  a 
laugh  and  a  sigh  are  closely  akin.  In  either  case,  there 
is  an  interrupted  action  of  the  breathing-muscles.  These 
agitated  feelings  can  never  be  fully  expressed  without  the 
right  condition  of  the  breathing-apparatus.  For  artistic 
uses  there  must  be  the  ability  to  hold  a  full  column  of  air, 
and  yet  allow  the  diaphragm  and  all  parts  of  the  chest  to 
partake  in  the  thrilling,  shivering,  throbbing,  or  bubbling 
character  of  the  emotion. 

For  illustrations  of  abnormal  feeling,  recur  to  Chapter 
VI. 

4.  Volition.  —  All  the  types  of  volitional  communica- 
tion will  easily  be  seen  to  have  direct  connection  with  the 
control  of  breath. 

(#)  Abrupt.  The  prompt,  decided,  sudden  action 
must  have  well-controlled  breath,  else  it  will  lose  all  dig- 


184  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

nity  and  effect.  Moreover,  without  a  good  support  of 
breath,  the  suddenness  of  initial  stress  will  prove  weari- 
some, and  injurious  to  the  vocal  organs. 

(6)  Insistent.  Here  the  cumulation  of  power  essen- 
tial to  the  rhetorical  expression  will  absolutely  demand  a 
full  supply  of  breath.  If  the  chest  is  exhausted,  or  is 
poorly  controlled,  there  can  be  no  full  final  stress. 

(c)  Uplifting.     Like  the  emotion  of  nobility,  of  which 
it  largely  partakes,  this  phase  of  volition  will  .demand  such 
full  breathing  as  to  support  and  swell  the  tone. 

(d)  Volition  of  Establishment.    This  will  require  the 
fullest  chest,  most  evenly  held.     There  must  be  no  jerky, 
thumping  motion,  else  the  dignified  and  exalted  effect  will 
instantly  be  destroyed.     The  best  mechanical  preparation 
for  this  type  of  energy  may  be  secured  by  counting  the 
numerals  in  a  full  and  evenly  sustained  tone. 

(e)  Violent  or  Perturbed  Volition.    While  this  seems 
to  demand  uncontrolled  breath,  its  artistic  use  implies  a 
control.     The  rider's  horse  may,  indeed,  rear  and  plunge ; 
but  he  is  curbed  by  the  skilled  hand  of  his  master. 

Study  all  types  of  volition  through  examples  given  in 
Chapter  VII.,  with  special  regard  to  the  control  of  breath. 

Artistic  Study.  —  Art  being  the  combination  of  mental 
measurements  with  physical  control,  it  becomes  obvious 
that  full  expression  can  be  prepared  only  by  keeping  in 
mind  both  of  these  elements,  and  by  focusing  them  upon 
the  rendering  of  varied  passages.  Let  there  be,  first  the 
accurate  and  sensitive  measurement  of  the  significance  of 
the  passage ;  then  consider  nature's  means  for  portraying 
or  symbolizing  that  meaning  ;  then,  keeping  the  thought 
uppermost,  sensitively  and  perseveringly  measure  in  your 
own  voice  the  physical  symbol  of  that  spiritual  conception. 


VOCAL   TECHNIQUE.  185 

The  most  gratifying  results  and  the  most  practical  out- 
come of  the  study  will  be  just  at  this  point,  at  which  the 
mental  and  physical  perfectly  unite. 

The  union  of  these  two  elements  has  been  specially 
emphasized  in  connection  with  breathing,  because  this 
comes  first  in  our  scheme  of  technical  study,  and  may 
thus  illustrate  what  is  true,  in  a  measure,  of  all  the  other 
elements.  Another  reason  for  specially  developing  the 
thought  here  is  this :  the  breath  is,  of  all  the  vocal  ele- 
ments, most  expressive,  and  most  immediately  connected 
with  the  rendering  of  thought.  The  breath  is  more  posi- 
tive, other  elements  more  negative ;  the  breath  produces 
the  effect  in  proportion  as  the  other  organs  present  no 
hindrance  or  obstruction.  We  shall  speak  of  the  remain- 
ing elements  of  vocalization  somewhat  more  briefly,  assum- 
ing that  all  which  has  been  said  of  the  harmonious  action 
of  mind  and  body  in  the  matter  of  breath  is  to  be  applied 
in  large  measure  to  all  the  following  elements. 

II.  Throat.  —  As  all  vibration  starts  with  the  action  of 
the  vocal  chords,  they  themselves,  and  all  their  immediate 
connections,  must  be  rendered  flexible,  and  be  prepared 
for  easy,  prompt,  and  vigorous  action.  To  secure  this, 
practice  constantly  the  following  list  of  exercises :  - 

1.  Relaxation  of  Neck  Muscles.  —  Sit,  leaning  well  for- 
ward ;  drop  the  head  until  the  chin  rests  upon  the  chest ; 
raise  it ;  now  slowly  draw  it  down,  slightly  stiffening  the 
muscles  of  the  neck ;  again  raise  it.  Now  by  contrast  see 
what  the  condition  of  the  neck  muscles  is  when  the  head 
is  perfectly  "surrendered  to  gravity,"  that  is,  given  up. 
uLet  go"  the  neck.  Do  not  draw  the  head  down,  but 
allow  it  to  drop.  Test  the  condition  of  the  neck  muscles, 
both  by  the  general  feeling  of  the  neck,  and  by  the  sense 


186  PRINCIPLES    OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

of  touch.  Laying  the  hand  upon  the  sides  of  the  neck, 
you  can  easily  detect  the  difference  between  the  partially 
contracted  and  the  wholly  relaxed  condition  of  the  mus- 
cles. Now  rise  and  stand  at  ease,  or  walk  leisurely,  re- 
taining the  same  relaxed  condition  of  the  neck.  Count 
numbers,  speak  conversational  sentences,  and  sing  easy 
passages,  being  careful  to  keep  the  same  relaxation  of 
muscles.  Utter  sentences  and  passages  in  different  moods, 
preserving  the  same  general  condition  of  relaxation  and 
ease. 

2.  While  rocking  the  head  and  neck,  loosely  shake  the 
larynx.     This  will  be  done  by  moving  the  back  of  the 
tongue  upward,  and  allowing  it  to  fall.     There  should  be 
a  soft,  jelly-like  condition  of  all  the  sides  of  the  neck, 
which  may  easily  be  perceived  by  the  tips  of  the  fingers. 
The  larynx  should  oscillate  freely,  as  a  passive  hand  would 
be  shaken  by  taking  hold  of  the  cuff  with  the  other  hand, 
and  flinging  it  up  and  down. 

3.  Make  the  sound  of  initial  k  ;  that  is,  of  k  without 
the   emission   of  any   breath.     It  is  a  simple  mechanical 
movement,  striking  the  back  of  the  tongue  upon  the  soft 
palate.    Do  this  in  different  rhythms,  as  if  beating  a  tattoo 
with  the  back  of  the  tongue. 

4.  Sing  the  syllable  koo  in  even  notes ;  thus :   do,  re  ; 
do,  re ;   do,  re  ;   do,  re ;   do.      The  first  eight  are    short 
notes,   the    last  one  a  long  note,    which   is    to    be   held 
smoothly  and  evenly.    Accent  slightly  the  lower  note  each 
time.     Practice  this  up  and  down  the  scale. 


do,     re,     do,     re,     do,      re,     do,    re,       do. 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE. 


187 


fa,  etc.,  up  the  scale. 


5.  Sing  koo  in  triplets;  thus:  do  re  do;  re  do  re  ;  re 
mi  re  ;  mi  re  mi  ;  mi  fa  mi  ;  fa  mi  fa  ;  fa  sol  fa  ;  sol  fa 
sol  ;  sol  la  sol  ;  la  sol  la  ;  la  si  la  ;  si  la  si  ;  do.  The  last 
tone,  "  do,"  may  be  a  whole  note  with  a  hold  on  it,  if  there 
is  sufficient  breath  left. 


Koo,   koo,   koo;         Koo,  koo,  koo;  etc. 

• -^ 

3 


Take  all  these  singing  exercises  at  easy,  natural  pitches. 
The  best  average  for  all  voices  will  be  about  the  key  of  A 
or  B  flat.  Bass  and  alto  voices  might  begin  as  low  as  G, 
or  even  F.  Tenors  or  high  sopranos  need  not  practice 
them  higher  than  C  or  D. 

6.  Passages  in  different  rhythms,  especially  poetry  in 
different  meters,  will  be  best  to  practice  first.  Use  espe- 
cially the  lighter  and  more  flexible  movements,  as  dactylic 
and  anapestic  verses. 

Among  many  that  will  easily  be  found,  the  following 
may  be  named  ;  Lochinvar  by  Scott ;  How  They  Brought 
the  Grood  News,  by  Robert  Browning ;  The  Battle  o 
by  Macaulay;  The  Boys,  by  Holmes. 


188  PEINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION 


DRILL    FOR    FLEXIBILITY. 

Haste  thee,  Nymph,  and  bring  with  thee 
Jest,  and  youthful  Jollity, 
Quips  and  Cranks  and  wanton  Wiles, 
Nods,  and  Becks,  and  wreathed  Smiles, 
Such  as  hang  on  Hebe's  cheek, 
And  love  to  live  in  dimple  sleek  ; 
Sport  that  wrinkled  Care  derides, 
And  Laughter,  holding  both  his  sides. 
Come,  and  trip  it  as  you  go 
On  the  light  fantastic  toe. 

MILTON. 

Has  there  any  old  fellow  got  mixed  with  the  boys  ? 
If  there  has,  put  him  out  without  making  a  noise. 
Hang  the  almanack's  cheat  and  the  catalogue's  spite 
Old  Time  is  a  liar  !    we're  twenty  to-night. 
We're  twenty!    we're  twenty!     Who  says  we  are  more? 
He's  tipsy  —  young  jackanapes;  show  him  the  door. 
Gray  temples  at  twenty  ?    Yes,  white  if  you  please  ; 
Where  the  snow-flakes  fall  thickest,  there's  nothing  can  freeze. 

HOLMES. 

I  sprang  to  the  stirrup,  and  Joris  and  he  ; 

I  galloped,  Dirck  galloped,  we  galloped  all  three. 

"Good  speed!"    cried  the  watch,  as  the  gate-bolts  undrew; 

"Speed!"    echoed  the  wall  to  us  galloping  through; 

Behind  shut  the  postern,  the  lights  sank  to  rest, 

And  into  the  midnight  we  galloped  abreast. 

ROBERT  BROWNING. 

III.  The  Jaw.  —  One  of  the  greatest  hindrances  to 
easy  and  effective  utterance  is  a  stiff  and  inflexible  jaw. 
Tt  must  first  be  liberated  mechanically,  and  then  be  taught 
to  move  in  flexible,  elastic,  but  not  extravagant  action,  and 
in  all  sorts  of  rhythm.  For  this  the  following  simple  order 
of  exercises  is  suggested  :  — 

1.  Sit  leaning  forward,  as  in  preparation  for  throat 
exercises ;  drop  the  head,  allowing  the  jaw  to  hang  down, 


VOCAL     TECHNIQUE. 


189 


"as  if  falling  asleep."  Repeat  this  until  you  can  feel  a 
slight  "sense  of  weight"  in  the  lower  jaw,  as  you  can  feel 
in  the  fingers  when  you  draw  the  hand  and  arm  up,  allow- 
ing the  fingers  to  hang  down.  When  this  slight  sense  of 
weight  is  perceived,  then 

2.  Shake  the  jaw  by  the  head  and  by  the  hand,  moving 
it  vertically  and  laterally.    The  important  thing  is,  to  gain 
such  flexibility  as  shall  insure  prompt,  elastic  action.     Re- 
laxation is    the  prerequisite  of  elasticity.     Having   thus 
secured  a  mechanical  freedom,  or  liberation, 

3.  Sing  fo,  fa,  fa,  up  and  down  the  scale;   then  fo,  fa, 
fa,  fa;   then  in  triplets,  fa,  fa,  fa;   three  triplets  to  each 
degree  of  the  scale. 


fo,  fa,  fa,  fo,  fa,  fa,  etc.  fo,  fa,  fa,  fa,  fo,  fa,  fa,  fa,  etc. 


Pro,ta,  ta,ta,  ta,ta,  ta,  ta,ta,  ta,ta,  ta,  la,  la,  la,etc.(frontl.) 


Take  every  rhythm  you  can  remember  or  devise ;  al- 
ways allowing  the  jaw  to  hang  and  vibrate  with  perfect 
freedom.  Remember  it  is  not  essential  to  pull  the  jaw 
down  as  far  as  you  can.  The  point  we  are  seeking  is  flex- 
ibility, rather  than  wide  opening. 

Sing  up  and  down  the  scale  the  syllables,  do,  re,  mi,  fa, 
sol,  la,  si,  do,  and  the  numerals,  one,  two,  three,  four,  five, 
six,  seven,  eight,  pronouncing  all  to  each  degree  of  the 
scale. 


do, 

I, 


re, 


mi,         fa, 
3,  etc. 


sol,        la, 


do, 


190  PRINCIPLES    OF    VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 


do,re,mi,  etc. 
I,    2,    3,  etc. 

This  exercise  can  be  coupled  with  the  breathing  exer- 
cises, by  singing  an  entire  scale,  or  even  both  the  ascent 
and  descent  of  the  scale,  to  a  single  breath. 

4.  Practice  Selections.  —  Let  these  be  chiefly  those  of 
a  glib  and  spirited  nature,  with  varied  rhythms.  The 
following  will  be  found  helpful :  The  Falls  of  Lodore, 
by  Southey  ;  "  Old  Fezziwig's  Ball,"  from  the  Christmas 
Carol,  'by  Dickens  ;  the  auctioneer  passage  in  Cheap  Jack, 
by  Dickens;  the  list  of  subscribers  in  Father  PhiVs  Col- 
lection, by  Samuel  Lover. 

Such  passages  as  the  following  will  be  good  for  flex- 
ibility of  jaw.  Let  them  be  given  very  freely  and 
rapidly  :  — 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  do  !  '*  cried  Scrooge,  laughing  and  crying 
in  the  same  breath ;  and  making  a  perfect  Laocoon  of  himself  with 
his  stockings.  "  I  am  as  light  as  a  feather,  I  am  as  happy  as  an 
angel,  I  am  as  merry  as  a  school-boy.  I  am  as  giddy  as  a  drunken 
/man.  A  merry  Christmas  to  everybody !  A  happy  New  Year  to 
all  the  world !  Hallo  here  !  Whoop  !  Hallo  !  .  .  .  I  don't  know 
what  day  of  the  month  it  is.  I  don't  know  how  lonf  I  have  been 
among  the  Spirits.  I  don't  know  anything.  I'm  quite  a  baby. 
Nevermind.  I  don't  care.  I'd  rather  be  a  baby.  Hallo!  Whoop! 
Hallo  here !  " 

He  was  checked  in  his  transports  by  the  churches  ringing  out 
the  lustiest  peals  he  had  ever  heard.  Clash,  clash,  hammer;  ding, 
dong,  bell.  Bell,  dong,  ding  ;  hammer,  clang,  clash !  Oh,  glorious  ! 
glorious  ! 

Running  to  the  window,  he  opened  it,  and  put  out  his  head. 
No  fog,  no  mist;  clear,  bright,  jovial,  stirring,  cold;  cold,  piping 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  191 

for  the  blood  to  dance  to ;  Golden  sunlight ;   Heavenly  sky ;  sweet 
fresh  air ;  merry  bells.     Oh,  glorious  !     Glorious  !  —  DICKENS. 


IV.  Tongue.  —  This  must  be  trained  to  keep  out  of 
the  way,  and  yet  to  come  to  its  place  at  every  spot  in 
the  mouth  where  articulation  shall  demand  it,  and  to  act 
always  with  promptness,  flexibility,  and  ease.  The  first 
thing  to  secure  is  what  we  have  called,  on  the  chart,  a 
"  yielding  "  condition. 

1.  Place  the  tip  of  the  tongue  against  the  lower  front 
teeth ;   let  it  lie  loosely,  but  it  must  stay  there. 

2.  Place  the  finger  and  thumb  under  the  chin,  about 
ah  inch  back  from  the  front ;   bear  down,  not  by  the  jaw, 
but  by   the    hypoglossal    muscle,    upon  your    finger   and 
thumb. 

3.  Keeping   the   same   conditions,    lift   the   uvula    and 
soft  palate.     Promptness   and   elasticity   in   these    organs 
will  greatly  conduce  to  the  curing  of  nasality  and  the  pro- 
duction of  clear,  pure,  resonant  tone.     This  is  one  of  the 
most  important  but  most  delicate  points  in  vocal  culture. 
A  mirror  will  be  needed  until  one  becomes  familiar  with 
the  sensation.     Be  careful  also  that  in  lifting  the  uvula 
the  tongue  does  not  draw  back ;  let  it,  rather,  press  lightly 
forward  and  downward.     Now,  observing  these  conditions, 
yawn  fully,  expanding  the  whole  oral  and  pharyngeal  cav- 
ity.    After  full  yawning, 

4.  Sing  the  vowel  ah  up  and  down  the  scale  gradually, 
keeping   this   depressed   condition   of   the   tongue,   which 
should  all  the  time  be  in  the  shape  of  a  trough,  or  of  a 
spoon  right  side  up. 

5.  Unite  the  tongue  exercises  with  those  of  the  jau\  sing- 
ing, fa,  fa,  etc.,  with  flexible  jaw  and  depressed  tongue. 


192  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

V.  Oral  Cavity.  —  Under  this  head  are  included  all 
the  air-chambers  above  the  larynx.  They  are  the  pharynx, 
the  nasal  passages,  and  the  mouth  cavity.  When  we  speak 
of  opening  the  mouth  freely,  we  do  not  mean  there  should 
be  a  nervous  working  of  the  facial  muscles,  nor  a  jerk- 
ing or  spreading  of  the  exterior  mouth.  We  mean  the 
free  opening  of  all  those  interior  cavities  in  which  the 
vowels  are  tuned,  and  in  which  the  voice  as  a  whole  re- 
ceives the  shaping  that  gives  it  true  resonance  and  carry- 
ing power,  as  well  as  agreeable  and  expressive  qualities. 

1.  Placing  the  tongue  down  and  yawning,  as  in  the 
previous  exercise,  quietly  close  the  lips  over  the  parted 
teeth  and  delicately  hum.     Represent  this  sound  by  the 
letter  m  rather  than  Am,  because  there  is  to  be  no  percep- 
tible escape  of  breath.     By  the  direct  act  of  the  will  the 
vocal  chords  will  start  the  vibration,  which  is  communi- 
cated to  all  the  air-chambers,  and  which  will  be  felt,  when 
the  lips  are  closed,  most  perceptibly  through  the  bones  of 
the  face  at  the  one  extreme,  and  against  the  diaphragm 
at  the  other.     Test  the  relaxation  of  all  the  neck  muscles ; 
test   also,   by  thumb  and    finger,  the   depression    of   the 
tongue,  as  before  described.     Keeping  all  these  conditions, 
hum,  at  first  lightly,  then  with  delicately  increasing  swells, 
up  and  down  an  octave  in  the  middle  of  your  voice. 

When  the  humming  exercise  is  mastered,  - 

2.  Add,  in  order,  these  vowels  :  — 

00,  as  in  food,  which  will  be  made  by  the  slightest  parting  of  the 
lips  at  the  renter,  all  other  parts  remaining  as  they  were; 

ii,  as  in  the  German  word/#M; 

a,  as  in  great,  but  better  represented  in  the  German  6  as  in  schon; 

1,  as  in  high,  wide,  bright; 
o,  as  in  noble; 

a,  as  in  far. 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  193 


i 


m  -  oo  -  ii  -  6  -  ai  -  o  -  a  m  -  oo  -]ii  -  6  -  ai  -  o  -  a,  etc. 

e,  a,  I,  oh,  ah. 

These  are  not,  indeed,  all  the  vowel  sounds ;  but  they 
are  typical  ones,  and  give,  with  sufficient  exactness  for 
vocal  culture,  all  the  elements  needed.  Practice  these 
up  and  down  the  scale ;  also  in  the  speaking  voice,  with 
all  sorts  of  rhythm. 

3.  In  connection  with  this  drill  on  the  vowel  elements 
take  the  following  on  semi-vowel  consonants  :  Hum  first 
the  m  in  every  case  ;  then,  in  alphabetic  order,  all  these 
consonants,  5,  6?,  #,  j\  ?,  m,  n,  ng,  r,  s  (as  z),  th,  v,  w,  y, 
prolonging  the  sound  considerably,  and  adding  in  each 
case  a  word,  line,  or  sentence  containing  the  consonant. 
The  diphthong  ou  will  be  specially  favorable  ;  thus  :  — 

DRILL    FOR    SEMI— VOWEL    ELEMENTS. 

6    —  &ound  —  .Bow  down  thine  ear. 

d  —  down  —  Deep  calleth  unto  deep. 

g   —  ground  —  O  grreat  is  the  depth ! 

j    — J°J  —  Rejoice,  again  I  say,  rejoice. 

I    —  loud  —  Lift  up  your  heads,  and  be  ye  lifted  up. 

m  —  mount  —  They  shall  mount  up  on  wings. 

n  —  now  —  No  one  of  these  shall  fail. 

ng  —  ringr  —  He  is  the  King  of  glory. 

r    —  round  —  Let  the  sea  roar  and  the  fullness  thereof, 
s    —  resound  —  The  floods  have  lifted  up  their  voice. 

th  —  thon  —  T/ane,  O  Lord,  is  the  greatness. 

v    — vow  —  His  voice  as  the  voice  of  many  waters. 

w  — wound  — There's  a  wideness  in  God's  mercy. 

y    — you.  —  In  Him  is  the  ?/ea. 

Add  such  lines  as  the  following,  rich  in  semi-vowel 
elements  :  — 


194  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

"Helon!"   The  voice  was  like  the  master-tone 
Of  a  rich  instrument,  most  stransrefy  sweet. 

WILLIS. 

By  JVebo's  lonely  mountain,  on  this  side  Jordan's  iwaue, 
In  a  va,le  in  the  la,nd  of  J/oa6,  Mere  lies  a  lonely  gra,ve. 

MRS.  ALEXANDER. 

4.  Read  lines  of  poetry  in  different  meters  and  with 
different  types  of  feeling  —  the  calm,  the  deep,  the  gentle, 
the  bright,  the  lofty.  Use  also  prose  of  a  dignified  and 
noble  nature. 

It  is  not  to  be  thought  that  good  expression  requires 
absolutely  the  maximum  of  vocal  fullness  in  every  syl- 
lable. These  exercises  are  given  rather  as  a  means  of 
developing  the  whole  capacity  of  the  voice  in  this  respect, 
any  part  of  which  is  to  be  used  in  any  given  utterance, 
according  to  a  wise  and  moderate  judgment  as  to  effects. 

The  thing  to  be  studiously  avoided  is  any  approach 
toward  mouthing.  All  the  vowels  are  to  be  free,  pointed, 
easy,  round,  resonant.  In  practice  considerable  prolonga- 
tion may  be  required  on  each  vowel  and  semi-vowel  ele- 
ment, in  order  to  measure  the  sound,  as  well  as  the 
sensation  accompanying  the  action  which  produces  it. 
The  student  will  need  to  be  specially  careful  that  school- 
room prolongation  does  not  become,  in  practice,  an  affected 
or  elocutionary  drawl. 

Such  as  the  following  will  be  serviceable  for  technical 
practice  in  cultivating  purity  and  resonance  :  The  Day  is 
Done,  by  Longfellow ;  Thanatopsis,  by  Bryant;  The  Vision 
of  Sir  Launfal,  by  Lowell,  especially  the  "  preludes,"  and 
Part  First.  Refer  also  to  Chapter  VI. 

VI.  Vocal  Chords.  —  The  generating  source  of  vibra- 
tion can  itself  be  trained.  The  elastic  action  of  the  vocal 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  195 

chords  constitutes  what  is  technically  called  the  "  touch  " 
of  the  tone.  Upon  this  depend  the  purity,  ease,  elastici- 
ty, and,  in  some  measure,  the  fullness  of  sound. 

1.  With  the  oral  cavity  well  opened  and  teeth  slightly 
parted,  but  lips  loosely  closed  over  them,  repeat  the  hum 
in  short,  detached  impulses,  but  with  no  emission  of  breath 


*EJfe£EE^EE£E| 


m,     m,  m,     m.  oo,    u,      6,       a,     oo,   u,      6,      a. 

The  vibration  should  be  felt,  as  before,  in  the  face  and 
against  the  diaphragm  ;  and  while  each  impulse  is  to  be 
short  and  instantaneous,  there  is  to  be  no  pressure  to  pro- 
duce it.  It  starts  with  no  perceptible  mechanical  action. 
The  vocal  chords  by  sheer  act  of  the  will,  stimulated  by 
the  thought  of  the  tone,  and  perhaps  acting  in  "reflex" 
connection  with  the  diaphragm,  approach  each  other,  clos- 
ing the  glottis,  and  so  give  the  beginning  of  vibration. 
This  is  the  vital  element  in  the  touch.  The  automatic 
contraction  of  the  lung-cells,  which  have  been  distended 
in  the  act  of  inhalation,  will  be  sufficient  to  support  this 
beginning  of  the  tone,  called  the  "  touch."  If  all  the 
other  conditions  are  observed,  especially  those  of  the 
chest,  there  will  thus  result  what  seems  a  merely  auto- 
matic action  of  the  voice.  In  its  finest  working,  there 
will  be  no  sensation  except  that  which  results  from  the 
vibration  of  the  air-chambers. 


196  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

In  a  healthy  voice  the  vocal  chords  have  almost  no 
sensation.  At  all  events,  the  jar  given  to  the  air-cham- 
bers, and  communicated  to  the  more  sensitive  parts  of  the 
frame,  so  greatly  transcends  any  feeling  in  the  vocal 
chords  themselves,  that  the  latter  is  practically  nothing. 

Practice  these  exercises  most  diligently,  as  upon  this 
depend  the  ease,  elasticity,  and  freedom  which  should 
characterize  the  great  bulk  of  our  conversational  utterance. 

2.  Use  the  vowels  oo,  as  in  foot ;  o,  as  in  bold;  u,  as  in 
tub  ;  a,  as  in  far,  as  shown  in  (b)  of  the  last  exercise. 
Take  these  in  all  possible  rhythms,  the  air-chambers  being 
held  quiet.  ,   A   lighted    match  held  before    the    mouth 
should  not  flare,  even  when  these  vowels  are  given  with 
full,  strong  sound. 

3.  Alternately  with  (2)  give  the  Jcoo-koo  exercise,  to 
insure   liberation  of  all   the   neck  muscles  in  connection 
with  the  prompt  action  of  the  vocal  chords. 


Koo,koo,etc.  oo,     u,     6, 


Koo,koo,  etc.  o,       li,     a. 

Sing  in  thirds  :  do,  mi,  re,  fa,  mi,  sol,  fa,  la,  sol,  si,  la 
do,  si,  re,  do  ;  mi,  do,  re,  si,  do,  la,  si,  sol,  la,  fa,  sol,  mi, 
fa,  re,  do.  Also  this  exercise,  which  employs  different 
skips :  sol,  do,  mi,  sol,  fa,  la,  re,  fa,  mi,  sol,  do,  me,  re,  fa, 
si,  re,  do.  (Seiler.) 

(a) 

« \J. L- £ U Z. 1.1 


do,  mi,  re,  fa,  etc. 
oo,  ii,     6,   a, 


-V— v- 


VOCAL     TECHNIQUE.  197 


sol, do, mi,  sol,  fa,  la,  re,  fa,  mi,sol,do,  mi, re,  fa,  si,  re,  do. 
koo,koo,6,  a,  etc. 

In  connection  with  each  of  these,  and  with  similar  ex- 
ercises which  you  can  find  or  invent,  put  in  promiscu- 
ously the  humming  note  (w),  and  the  different  open 
vowels,  as  00,  w,  o.  After  you  can  give  it  as  a  whole, 
and  with  an  easy  rhythmic  flow,  slip  in  first  one  and  then 
another  of  the  different  tests  for  the  touch  or  stroke  of  the 
vocal  chords.  Such  alternation  will  prevent  the  stiffen- 
ing of  throat  and.  jaw,  which  might  result  if  the  attention 
were  kept  simply  upon  the  action  of  the  vocal  chords. 

VII.  Articulating  Organs.  — These,  of  course,  must  be 
elastic  and  vigorous  in  their  action,  to  secure  distinctness 
of  speech.  They  must  not,  however,  be  so  strained  or 
laborious  as  to  call  attention  to  their  action.  This  would 
divert  attention  from  the  thing  said  to  the  mechanical 
means  of  saying  it.  One  of  the  worst  forms  of  elocution- 
ary pedantry  is  a  labored  or  noticeable  articulation.  The 
sounds  are  chiefly  formed,  as  above  described,  in  the  oral 
cavity.  They  are  shaped  and  communicated  to  the  outer 
air  by  the  assistance  of  the  articulating  elements  ;  and 
these  must  be  heard  in  connection  with  the  vocal  ele- 
ments, and  not  seem  to  be  a  thing  outside  of  the  voice  : 
they  are  a  part  of  the  voice. 

Each  element  of  articulation  must  be  prepared  by  in- 
dividual, independent,  free  action,  and  must  then  be  as- 
sociated with  its  vowels  in  such  a  way  that  it  shall  help 
to  shape  and  point  those  vowel  elements,  rather  than 
cover  or  displace  them.  This  makes  it  truly  consonant, 
that  is,  sounding  with  the  vowels. 


198  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

1.  The  Lip  Stroke  for  Labials.  —  Holding  the  breath 
quite  still,   tightly  press  the  lips  at  the  center,  then  let 
them  suddenly  open,  making  a  slight  popping  sound. 

2.  Lip  Stroke  for  w.  —  This  is  made,  not  at  the  center, 
but  at  the  sides  of  the  mouth.     Put  the  lips  forward,  con- 
tracted as  for  a  whistle :   hold  the  breath  perfectly  quiet, 
and    instantly   draw    the    lips    backward.     If   you    do    it 
rightly,  you  will  hear  a  suction  of  the  air,  which  consti- 
tutes the  test.     It  may  sound  somewhat  like  the  dropping 
of  water  into  a  deep  can.     When  the  technical  action  is 
secured,  sing   up   and   down   the   scale   such  syllables  as 
wai,  wo,  we,  wah.     Any  blowing  upon  these  syllables  will 
vitiate  the  whole  effect. 


(Staccato.) 

^ 

1 

(Legato.) 

•ff-fj  —  jv— 

tf 

N— 

]S 

.N 

N 

i           ! 

/i    _! 

g|          f 

g 

2 

™ 

*-4-    9 

1^ 

i 

1 

wai, 

wo, 

we, 

wah; 

wai,       wo, 

wee, 

wah. 

I 


3.  Stroke  for  f.  —  Here  the  upper  teeth  are  placed  upon 
the  lower  lip,  and  suddenly  parted  as  in  the  element  p. 
Practice  here  the  exercises   given  under  development  of 
jaw  action. 

4.  The   stroke   of   the   tip   of  the  tongue.  —  Place  the 
tongue  firmly  against  the  gum  just  over  the  upper  front 
central   teeth.     Holding  the  breath,  quite  strongly  press 
the  tongue  against  the  gum,  and  instantly  draw  it  back. 
The  test  will  be  a.  hollow,  popping  sound,  somewhat  like 
those  given  by  p  and  w,  though  more  pointed,  and  perhaps 
stronger. 

5.  Initial  1.  —  Put  the  tip  of  the  tongue  well  up  on 
the  gum,  as  in  t,  but  instead  of  drawing  it  back,  move  it 
quickly  down,  as  if  removing  a  sliver  from  between  the 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  199 

front  teeth.     If  the  breath  is  held  quiet,  you  will  hear  a 
slight  impulse  in  the  air. 

6.  The  front,  or  lingual,  r.  —  This  is  almost  exactly  the 
reverse  of  I;  the  tongue  placed  loosely  against  the  front 
upper  teeth  moves  quickly  upward  against  the  gum,  as  if 
lapping-in  the  air.      Here   there  will  be  more  danger  of 
blowing  than  upon  the  other  elements.    In  order  to  secure 
the  clean  action  of  the  initial  r,  the  breath  must  be  held 
still;   neither  must  there  be  any  vocalization.     You  are  to 
hear  only  a  little  flap,  the  beginning  of  a  trill. 

7.  Combine  the  above  motions  in  the  following  list  of 
syllables  :   pa,  ba,  ma,  fa,  ta,  la,  ra,  sa.      These  syllables 
may  be  taken  at  first  staccato,  and  quite  widely  separated, 
but  with  no  expense  of  breath   upon  them.     Afterward 
they  may  be  taken  legato,  and  quite  rhythmically.     The 
rhythms  may  be  varied  at  pleasure.     Finally,  practice  se- 
lections  containing   many  sharp    and   strong   consonants. 
Controlling  the  breath  perfectly,  make  the  consonant  ele- 
ments very  precise,  very  clear,  and  very  elastic.     Combine 
great  rapidity  and  perfect  ease. 


(a)  Staccato. 


pa,      ba,     ma,     fa,      ta,     la,     ra,     sa.  (  same  syllables.) 


8.  Find  or  make  different  combinations  of  syllables, 
seeking  especially  those  that  may  present  any  peculiar  dif- 
ficulties. First  conquer  the  difficult  element  by  slow,  sepa- 


200  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

rate  movements  of  the  organ  needed  to  produce  that 
element,  centering  the  will  upon  that  definite,  precise, 
and  slow  motion;  then,  keeping  the  attention  upon  that 
element,  repeat  it  more  rapidly;  and  finally  in  rhythms  of 
all  sorts,  until,  as  a  separate  element,  there  is  no  longer 
any  difficulty  in  producing  it  in  any  form,  and  with  any 
degree  of  rapidity.  Next  couple  this  with  other  elements. 
Any  good  treatise  on  elocution  or  voice  culture  will 
have  abundance  of  such  exercises,  and  it  is  not  thought 
necessary  to  give  extended  examples  here. 

The   matter  of  consonant  action  has  been  thus  men- 

i 

tioned,  first  to  show  its  place  in  the  general  scheme  of 
voice  culture,  and  secondly  to  remind  the  student  that 
the  rhetorical  spirit  is  violated  equally  *by  a  slovenly  and 
by  a  laborious  articulation./ 

DRILL    FOR    ARTICULATION. 

And  gleaming  and  streaming  and  steaming  and  beaming, 
And  rushing  and  flushing  and  brushing  and  gushing, 
And  flapping  and  rapping  and  clapping  and  slapping, 
And  curling  and  whirling  and  purling  and  twirling, 
Retreating  and  beating  and  meeting  and  sheeting, 
Delaying  and  straying  and  playing  and  spraying, 
Advancing  and  glancing  and  prancing  and  dancing, 
Recoiling,  turmoiling  and  toiling  and  boiling, 
And  thumping  and  plumping  and  bumping  and  jumping, 
A^nd  dashing  and  flashing  and  splashing  and  clashing, 
And  so  never  ending,  but  always  descending, 
Sounds  and  motions  forever  and  ever  are  blending, 
All  at  once  and  all  o'er,  with  a  mighty  uproar; 
And  this  way  the  water  comes  down  at  Lodore. 

SOUTHEY. 

At  Aerschot,  up  leaped  of  a  sudden  the  sun, 
And  against  him  the  cattle  stood  black  every  one, 
To  stare  through  the  mist  at  us  galloping  past; 
And  I  saw  my  stout  galloper  Roland  at  last, 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  201 

With  resolute  shoulders,  each  butting  away 

The  haze,  as  some  bluff  river  headland  its  spray; 

And  his  low  head  and  crest,  just  one  sharp  ear  bent  back 

For  my  voice,  and  the  other  pricked  out  on  his  track; 

And  one  eye's  black  intelligence — ever  that  glance 

O'er  its  white  edge  at  me,  his  own  master,  askance; 

And  the  thick  heavy  spume-flakes  which  aye  and  anon 

His  fierce  lips  shook  upward  in  galloping  on. 

So  we  were  left  galloping,  Joris  and  I 

Past  Looz  and  past  Tongres,  no  cloud  in  the  sky; 

The  broad  sun  above  laughed  a  pitiless  laugh, 

'ISeath  our  feet  broke  the  brittle,  bright  stubble  like  chaff; 

Till  over  by  Dalheim  a  dome-spire  sprang  white, 

And  "Gallop,"  gasped  Joris,  "for  Aix  is  in  sight!" 

ROBERT  BROWNING. 


VIII.  Abdominal  Muscles.  —  These  may  be  trained  to 
a  strong  and  most  flexible  action.  The  importance  of  the 
abdominal  muscles  in  vocalization  is  often  overestimated. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  truer  to  say  that  their  real  office  is 
generally  misunderstood.  As  here  used,  the  term  refers  to 
the  strong  muscles  surrounding  the  abdomen.  The  prin- 
cipal of  these  are :  (1)  the  right  abdominal  muscle,  the 

contraction  of  which  may  be  observed  about  the  median 

i 

line  of  the  body ;  (2)  the  oblique  abdominal  muscles,  con- 
necting the  ribs  and  the  inside  of  the  hip-bone,  the  action 
of  which  may  be  plainly  perceived  by  laying  the  hand 
upon  the  side,  the  fingers  pointing  downward  in  front  of 
the  hip;  and  (3)  the  transverse  abdominal  muscle,  whose 
action  may  be  perceived  in  connection  with  that  of  the 
other  two,  by  placing  the  hands  across  the  abdomen,  the 
fingers  touching,  and  the  wrists  lying  across  the  hip- 
bones. 

These  different  muscles  in  the  abdomen  may  be  some- 
what trained  separately,  but  practically  they  work  together. 


202  PRINCIPLES   OF   VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

In  vocalization  their  action  is  required  usually  for  one  of 
two  reasons :  — 

1.  To  make  what  is  popularly  called  a  "support"  of 
the  tone.     The  value  of  this  support  is  seen  thus :   when 
the  diaphragm  is  contracted,  as  above  described,  it  moves 
downward,  and  becomes  more  tense,  serving  as  part  of  the 
resonance  apparatus,  reinforcing  the  vibrations  started  by 
the  vocal  chords,  much  as  the  lower  drumhead,  reverberat- 
ing, augments   the  vibrations   produced  by  playing  upon 
the  upper  drumhead.      Now,  in  order  that  the  diaphragm 
may  be  held  so  firmly  in  its  place  as  to  assist  in  the  vibra- 
tion, there  must  be  a  somewhat  firm  condition  of  all  the 
parts  below  it.      If  the  whole  abdomen  were  absolutely 
relaxed,  there  would  be  a  muffy  and  unresonant  action. 
The  degree  of  contraction  in  the  abdominal  muscles  neces- 
sary for  this  support  is  not  so  great  as  that  required  for 
the  violent  expulsion  of  air,  as  in  a  cough  or  sneeze ;   nev- 
ertheless, the  more  moderate  action  required  in  vocaliza- 
tion may  best  be  secured  by  first  training  these  muscles  to 
quite  full  and  vigorous  action,  and  then  allowing  only  the 
needed  part  of  their  strength  to  be  employed. 

2.  The  other  vocal  uses  of  abdominal  muscles  are:  — 
(<z)    To   sustain   the    expiration   beyond    the    ordinary 

point,  as  in  the  case  of  a  long  sentence  during  which  one 
cannot  recover  full  breath ;  and 

(£>)    To  give  a  sudden  and  harsh  impulse  to  the  voice. 

Both  of  these  uses  (2,  a  and  £>)  are  very  infrequent  in 
normal  utterance.  The  first  use,  that  of  giving  a  reason- 
ably firm  support  to  the  tone,  is  in  almost  constant  demand. 
It  constitutes  a  part  of  the  general  condition  indicated  by 
the  term  "  active  chest."  There  is  a  flexible  and  yet  firm 
condition  of  the  muscles  of  the  entire  trunk. 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE  203 

It  must  be  distinctly  understood  that  the  abdominal 
muscles  are  not  to  be  used  to  pump  the  tone  out  of  the 
chest,  nor  to  give,  ordinarily,  any  explosive,  nor  even  ex- 
pulsive, movement  to  the  tone.  They  are  usually  to  be  so 
managed  as  to  assist  in  the  deep,  full,  sonorous,  and  musi- 
cal vibration  of  the  voice. 

The  following  list  of  exercises  will  be  sufficient  for  the 
development  of  this  part.  Some  of  these  exercises  can  be 
practiced  most  profitably  in  private,  rather  than  in  class. 

1.  Take  slow,  full  inspiration,  the  abdominal  muscles 
being  as  completely  relaxed  as  possible,  while   the   dia- 
phragm   and  the  rib  muscles    (intercostals)    contract   as 
strongly  as  possible.     The  purpose  here  is  to  deepen  and 
broaden  the  thoracic  cavity,  or  the  chest  proper.     Just  at 
this  stage  we  give  the  entire  attention  to  the  filling  of  the 
lungs,  and  for  the  moment  disregard  the  action  of  the  ab- 
dominal muscles,  except  to  relax  them,  and  let  them  be 
crowded  out  of  the  way  by  the  diaphragm. 

2.  Slowly   expel  the   air   by  first    contracting   the  ab- 
cLominal  muscles.     This  may  be  felt  very  perceptibly  by 
laying    the   hands    upon   the    parts    previously  described. 
Toward  the  end  of  the  expiration,  the  upper  chest  itself 
may  be  allowed   to  diminish  in  size,  the  ribs  falling  in 
upon  the  lungs.     If  the  expiration  has  been  complete,  the 
whole  trunk  will  have  a  shrunken  or  collapsed  appear- 
ance ;   but  the  chest  muscles  (intercostals  and  diaphragm) 
will  be  passive,  and  the  abdominal  muscles  will  be  strongly 
active,  — that  is,  the  chest  will  have  fallen  in,  and  the  abdo- 
men will  have  been  drawn  or  pushed  in.     Repeat  these 
two  exercises  in  alternation  many   times,  observing  and 
measuring  by  sensation  the  action  of  both  inspiratory  and 
expiratory  muscles. 


204  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL  EXPRESSION. 

(3)    Lie  upon  the  back,  or  sit  reclining  easily. 

(a)  Depress  the  diaphragm  and  abdomen,  the  diaphragm 
muscle  being  active,  and  the  abdominal  muscles  passive. 

(5)  Contract  the  abdominal  muscles,  allowing  the  dia- 
phragm to  relax;  (6)  will  exactly  reverse  the  action  of  (a). 
Repeat  (6),  this  time  singing  or  speaking  a  staccato  note, 
ah  or  oh.  You  will  perceive  that  with  the  contraction  of 
abdominal  muscles  and  relaxation  of  diaphragm  you  have 
produced  a  breathy  and  unsubstantial  sound. 

(tf)  Contract  the  diaphragm  muscle,  allowing  the  abdo- 
men to  relax  as  in  (a),  this  time  singing  or  speaking  a 
staccato  note,  ah  or  oh.  Now  you  will  observe  that  the 
breathiness  has  departed  from  the  tone,  and  yet  the  sound 
is  not  so  firm  and  resonant  as  it  might  be. 

(d)  Silently  contract  the  muscles,  first  separately,  — 
that  is,  diaphragm  and  ribs  being  active,  while  abdominal 
muscles  are  passive,  and  vice  versa ;  and  second,  contract 
both  together,  —  that  is,  let  there  be  a  firm  holding-down  of 
the  diaphragm  and  holding-out  of  the  ribs,  and  at  the  same 
•time  a  moderately  firm  contraction  of  the  abdominal  mus- 
cles, not  amounting,  however,  to  a  rigid  or  violent  action. 
This  united  effort  of  pectoral  and  abdominal  muscles  will 
give  the  best  condition  for  firm  and  easy  vibration  of  tone. 

(e)  Sing  and  speak  vowels,  oh,  ah,  a,  e,  ai,  ou,  etc.,  keep- 
ing the  simultaneous  contraction  of  the  thoracic  and  abdom- 
inal parts.     If  this  is  done  moderately,  it  will  soon  induce  a 
most  comfortable  condition  of  the  whole  body ;  a  condition 
combining  a  healthful,  animated,  reasonably  active  state, 
with  a  sense  of  quiet  and  repose. 

The  recumbent  or  reclining  position  has  been  assumed 
for  the  purpose  of  more  minute  and  separate  study  of  the 
muscles  of  the  trunk ;  as  the  attention  can  be  directed  to 


VOCAL    TECHNIQUE.  205 

these  parts  best  when  all  the  other  parts  of  the  body  are 
perfectly  relaxed.  Now,  having  learned  the  delicate  meas- 
urement of  all  these  muscles, 

4.  Stand,  or  walk  quietly,  singing  and  speaking  the 
tones  as  above  directed.     Add  short  sentences  in  different 
moods,  but  always  within  the  sphere  of  normal  utterance. 
Carefully   measure   the    general    sensation   accompanying 
this  consentaneous  action  of  all  the  parts. 

5.  Hold  the  singing  tone  during  one  breath.     Run  up 
and  down  the  scale  to  one  breath.     Sing  all  the  syllables, 
do,  re,  mi,  fa,  sol,  la,  si,  do,  on  each  degree  of  the  scale, 
ascending  in  one  breath  and  descending  in  another.     Now 
try  all  these  eight  syllables  upon  each  of  the  sixteen  notes ; 
that  is,  ascend  and  descend  to  one  breath.     This  will  give 
sustaining  power  for  long  passages. 

6.  Practice  the  "  calling  tone."" -  -Use  words  of  military 
command  and  other  shouting  passages.     In  this  be  very 
careful  that  there  is  no  straining  or  grating  upon  the  throat. 
The  action  of  the  voice  must  be  just  as  easy  as  in  mild 
conversational  utterance.     There  will  be  only  fuller  and 
broader  action  of  the  chest  and  abdomen.     This  broader 
action  will  give  you  somewhat  the  feeling  of  comfortably 
stretching  the  muscles.     There  will  be  no  jerking,  no  vio- 
lent contortions. 

7.  Practice  full  and   sustained  passages.  —  Make  the 
voice  carry,  during  long  periods,  as  if  you  were  speaking 
to  an  outdoor  audience,  or  to  a  person  across  a  field.     In 
this,  avoid  monotony  of  inflections  and  of  cadences.     Let 
the  intonation  be    natural.     The   voice   must  be   evenly 
sustained,  deeply  sonorous,  and  somewhat  slower  than  in 
ordinary  speech. 

It  must  be  remembered  in  connection  with  all  the  ex- 


206  PRINCIPLES   OF  VOCAL   EXPRESSION. 

ercises  suggested  in  this  chapter,  that  each  element  is  first 
to  be  separately  mastered,  and  then  employed  in  connec- 
tion with  the  other  elements  of  vocal  action.  During  the 
process  of  separate  study  and  mastery,  there  will  often 
seem  to  be  an  exaggeration  of  the  element  under  consider- 
ation. Do  not  be  disturbed  by  this.  In  actual  use,  one 
part  will  so  balance  and  supplement  another  that  the  united 
effect  will  be  simply  normal,  comfortable,  and  easily  effi- 
cient. 

To  sum  up,  then,  we  would  say,  To  have  the  perfection 
of  action  in  his  instrument,  the  speaker  must  have  a 
promptly  and  generously  opening  chest,  working  noise- 
lessly and  comfortably,  supported  and  reinforced  by  firm 
abdominal  action,  a  loose  throat,  a  promptly  dropping  chin, 
a  quickly  yielding  tongue,  lips  sensitive  and  nervy,  deli- 
cate but  strong ;  and,  finally,  he  must  so  train  all  the 
parts  as  to  gain  the  maximum  of  vibratory,  focusing,  and 
tuning  power,  with  the  minimum  of  muscular  and  nervous 
effort ;  and  especially  that  he  must  know  and  learn  to  feel 
the  relations  of  the  delicate  and  spiritually  powerful  ele- 
ment of  resonance  to  the  more  homely  and  practical 
muscular  part.  Above  all,  the  speaker  needs  a  quick- 
ened, exalted  appreciation  of  the  real  significance,  and 
the  natural  symbolism,  of  vibratory  action. 


MENTAL  TECHNIQUE 


AND 


LITEEAEY  INTEEPEETATION 


MENTAL  TECHNIQUE 


AND 


LITEEAEY  INTEEPEETATION. 


CHAPTER  I. 

STUDIES   IN   FORMULATION. 
I.       TIME. 

If    "The  relative  time  apportioned  to  a  word  indicates  the  mind's  meas-    / 
urement  of  it,  —  represents  the  speaker's  judgment  as  to  the  amount  of 
meaning  or  importance  that  it  conveys." 

THE  above  quotation  from  Raymond's  Orator's  Man- 
ual is  a  succinct  statement  of  the  principles  underlying 
"  Formulation."  In  the  following  examples,  and  in  the 
chapter  on  "  Cases  of  Formulation  "  in  Part  I.,  will  be 
found  ample  opportunity  to  test  the  principles  set  forth 
in  the  above  extract. 

The  succeeding  passages  will  have  a  prevailingly  slow 
movement.  Let  the  student  measure  the  thought  care- 
fully, and  think  the  expansive  paraphrase.  These  drills 
are  not  to  train  him  to  read  slowly  (for  any  one  can  do 
that),  but  to  think  largely.  The  movement  will  take  care 
of  itself.  It  is  further  urged  that  the  student  give  con- 
siderable attention  to  this  part  of  the  subject ;  for  the  time 
so  spent  will  be  valuable  not  only  in  so  far  as  it  results  in 
expressive  movement,  but  because  it  is  only  through  medi- 

209 


210  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

tation  that  the  fullest  insight  into  the  meaning  of  a  passage 
can  be  attained.  Hence,  dwelling  for  a  long  period  upon 
a  phrase  or  sentence  gives  opportunity  for  the  enkindling 
of  the  imagination  and  emotion.  It  has  been  frequently 
found  that  where  a  student's  movement  was  out  of  har- 
mony with  the  sentiment  of  the  passage,  his  emotional 
rendition  was  equally  poor.  A  careful  further  study  of 
the  text  to  improve  the  movement  has  generally  resulted 
in  the  improvement  of  the  emotional  expression. 

"  Mr.  Speaker  :  The  mingled  tones  of  sorrow,  like  the  voice  of 
many  waters,  have  come  unto  us  from  a  sister  State  —  Massachusetts 
—  weeping  for  her  honored  son.  The  State  I  have  the  honor  in 
part  to  represent  once  endured,  with  yours,  a  common  suffering,  bat- 
tled for  a  common  cause,  and  rejoiced  in  a  common  triumph.  Surely, 
then,  it  is  meet  that  in  this  the  day  of  your  affliction  we  should 
mingle  our  griefs.'1 

u  Search  creation  round,  where  can  you  find  a  country  that  pre- 
sents so  sublime  a  view,  so  interesting  an  anticipation  ?  Who  shall 
say  for  what  purpose  mysterious  Providence  may  not  have  designed 
her !  Who  shall  say  that  when  in  its  follies  or  its  crimes,  the  Old 
World  may  have  buried  all  the  pride  of  its  power,  and  all  the  pomp 
of  its  civilization,  human  nature  may  not  find  its  destined  renova- 
tion in  the  New !  When  its  temples  and  its  trophies  shall  have 
mouldered  into  dust, — when  the  glories  of  its  name  shall  be  but 
the  legend  of  tradition,  and  the  light  of  its  achievements  live  only 
in  song,  philosophy  will  revive  again  in  the  sky  of  her  Franklin,  and 
glory  rekindle  at  the  urn  of  her  Washington." 

"Often  have  I  swept  backward,  in  imagination,  six  thousand 
years,  and  stood  beside  our  great  ancestor,  as  he  gazed  for  the  first 
time  upon  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  What  strange  sensations 
must  have  swept  through  his  bewildered  mind,  as  he  watched  the 
last  departing  ray  of  the  sinking  orb,  unconscious  whether  he  should 
ever  behold  its  return. 

"  Wrapped  in  a  maze  of  thought,  strange  and  startling,  he  suffers 


STUDIES  IN  FORMULATION.  211 

his  eye  to  linger  long  about  the  point  at  which  the  sun  has  slowly 
faded  from  view.  A  mysterious  darkness  creeps  over  the  face  of 
Nature  ;  the  beautiful  scenes  of  earth  are  slowly  fading,  one  by  one, 
from  his  dimmed  vision." 

'•You  think  me  a  fanatic  to-night,  for  you  read  history,  not  with 
your  eyes,  but  with  your  prejudices.  But  fifty  years  hence,  when 
Truth  gets  a  hearing,  the  Muse  of  History  will  put  Phocion  for  the 
Greek,  and  Brutus  for  the  Roman,  Hampden  for  England,  La  Fay- 
ette  for  France,  choose  Washington  as  the  bright,  consummate 
flower  of  our  earlier  civilization,  and  John  Brown  as  the  ripe  fruit 
of  our  noonday,  then,  dipping  her  pen  in  the  sunlight,  will  write 
in  the  clear  blue,  above  them  all,  the  name  ol  the  soldier,  the  states- 
man, the  martyr,  Toussaint  L'Ouverture." 

"  Figure  to  yourself  a  cataract  like  that  of  Niagara,  poured  in 
foaming  grandeur,  not  merely  over  one  great  precipice  of  two  hun- 
dred feet,  but  over  the  successive  ridgy  precipices  of  two  or  three 
thousand,  in  the  face  of  a  mountain  eleven  thousand  feet  high,  and 
tumbling,  crashing,  thundering  down  with  a  continuous  din  of  far 
greater  sublimity  than  the  sound  of  the  grandest  cataract.  The 
roar  of  the  falling  mass  begins  to  be  heard  the  moment  it  is  loos- 
ened from  the  mountain ;  it  pours  on  with  the  sound  of  a  vast  body 
of  rushing  water ;  then  comes  the  first  great  concussion,  a  booming 
crash  of  thunders,  breaking  on  the  still  air  in  mid-heaven ;  your 
breath  is  suspended,  and  you  listen  and  look ;  the  mighty  glittering 
mass  shoots  headlong  over  the  main  precipice,  and  the  fall  is  so  great 
that  it  produces  to  the  eye  that  impression  of  dread  majestic  slow- 
ness of  which  I  have  spoken,  though  it  is  doubtless  more  rapid  than 
Niagara.  But  if  you  should  see  the  cataract  of  Niagara  itself  com- 
ing down  five  thousand  feet  above  you  in  the  air,  there  would  be  the 
same  impression.  The  image  remains  in  the  mind,  and  can  never 
fade  from  it;  it  is  as  if  you  had  seen  an  alabaster  cataract  from 
heaven.  The  sound  is  far  more  sublime  than  that  of  Niagara, 
because  of  the  preceding  stillness  in  those  Alpine  solitudes.  In 
the  midst  of  such  silence  and  solemnity,  from  out  the  bosom  of 
those  glorious,  glittering  forms  of  nature,  comes  that  rushing,  crash 
ing  thunder-burst  of  sound  !  If  it  were  not  that  your  soul,  through 
the  eye,  is  as  filled  and  fixed  with  the  sublimity  of  the  vision  as, 


212  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

through  the  sense  of  hearing,  with  that  of  the  audible  report, 
methinks  you  would  wish  to  bury  your  face  in  your  hands,  and  fall 
prostrate,  as  at  the  voice  of  the  Eternal." 

"How  lovely  are  thy  dwellings  fair! 

O  Lord  of  Hosts,  how  dear 
The  pleasant  tabernacles  are 

Where  thou  dost  dwell  so  near! 

My  soul  doth  long  and  almost  die 

Thy  courts,  O  Lord,  to  see, 
My  heart  and  flesh  aloud  do  cry, 

O  living  God,  for  thee. 

There  even  the  sparrow,  freed  from  wrong, 

Hath  found  a  house  of  rest; 
The  swallow  there,  to  lay  her  young, 

Hath  built  her  brooding  nest; 

Even  by  thy  altars,  Lord  of  Hosts, 

They  find  their  safe  abode; 
And  home  they  fly  from  round  the  coasts 

Towards  thee,  my  King,  my  God." 

The  following  will  illustrate  fast  movement.  Let 
there  be  no  attempt  to  accelerate  the  speed,  but  let  the 
thought  and  emotion  govern  that  entirely.  No  examples 
are  given  to  illustrate  moderate  time,  since  the  student 
gets  sufficient  practice  of  this  kind  in  almost  everything 
he  reads. 

"  Gloriously,  Max !  gloriously !  There  were  sixty  horses  in  the 
field,  all  mettle  to  the  bone ;  the  start  was  a  picture  —  away  we  went 
in  a  cloud  —  pell-mell  —  helter-skelter  —  the  fools  first,  as  usual,  using 
themselves  up.  We  soon  passed  them  —  first  your  Kitty,  then  my 
Blueskin,  and  Craven's  colt  last.  Then  came  the  tug  —  Kitty 
skimmed  the  walls  —  Blueskin  flew  over  the  fences  —  the  colt  neck- 
and-neck,  and  half  a  mile  to  run  —  at  last  the  colt  balked  a  leap  and 
went  wild.  Kitty  and  I  had  it  all  to  ourselves  —  she  was  three  lengths 
ahead  as  we  breasted  the  last  wall,  six  feet,  if  an  inch,  and  a  ditch 


STUDIES  IN  FORMULATION.  213 

on  the  other  side.  Now,  for  the  first  time,  I  gave  Blueskin  his  head  — 
Ha,  ha !  Away  he  flew  like  a  thunderbolt  —  over  went  the  filly  —  I 
over  the  same  spot,  leaving  Kitty  in  the  ditch  —  walked  the  steeple, 
eight  miles  in  thirty  minutes,  and  scarcely  turned  a  hair." 

"  Nice  clothes  I  get,  too,  traipsing  through  weather  like  this ! 
My  gown  and  bonnet  will  be  spoiled.  Needn't  I  wear  'em,  then  ? 
Indeed,  Mr.  Caudle,  I  shall  wear  'em.  No,  sir !  I'm  not  going  out  a 
dowdy  to  please  you  or  anybody  else.  Gracious  knows  !  it  isn't  often 
that  I  step  over  the  threshold." 

"  Before  a  quarter  pole  was  pass'd, 
Old  Hiram  said,  *  He's  going  fast.' 
Long  ere  the  quarter  was  a  half, 
The  chuckling  crowd  had  ceased  to  laugh; 
Tighter  his  frightened  jockey  clung 
As  in  a  mighty  stride  he  swung, 
The  gravel  flying  in  his  track, 
His  neck  stretched  out,  his  ears  laid  back, 
His  tail  extended  all  the  while 
Behind  him  like  a  rat-tail  file! 
Off  went  a  shoe,  — away  it  spun, 
Shot  like  a  bullet  from  a  gun; 
The  quaking  jockey  shapes  a  prayer 
From  scraps  of  oaths  he  used  to  swear; 
He  drops  his  whip,  he  drops  his  rein, 
He  clutches  fiercely  for  the  mane; 
He'll  lose  his  hold, — he  sways  and  reels, — 
He'll  slide  beneath  those  trampling  heels! 
The  knees  of  many  a  horseman  quake, 
The  flowers  on  many  a  bonnet  shake, 
And  shouts  arise  from  left  and  right, 
'Stick  on!  stick  on!'     'Hould  tight!  hould  tight! 
Cling  round  his  neck;  and  don't  let  go,  — 
That  pace  can't  hold,  — there!  steady!  wh\>a!'" 

Then  methought  I  heard  a  mellow  sound, 
Gathering  up  from  all  the  lower  ground; 
Narrowing  in  to  where  they  sat  assembled, 
Low  voluptuous  music  winding  trembled, 
Wov'n  in  circles.     They  that  heard  it  sigh'd, 


214  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Panted  hand-in-hand  with  faces  pale, 

Swung  themselves,  and  in  low  tones  replied; 

Till  the  fountain  spouted,  showering  wide 

Sleet  of  diamond-drift  and  pearly  hail. 

Then  the  music  touch' d  the  gates  and  died; 

Rose  again  from  where  it  seem'd  to  fail, 

Storm'd  in  orbs  of  song,  a  growing  gale; 

Till  thronging  in  and  in,  to  where  they  waited, 

As  'twere  a  hundred-throated  nightingale, 

The  strong  tempestuous  treble  throbb'd  and  palpitated; 

Ran  into  its  giddiest  whirl  of  sound, 

Caught  the  sparkles,  and  in  circles, 

Purple  gauzes,  golden  hazes,  liquid  mazes, 

Flung  the  torrent  rainbow  round. 

Then  they  started  from  their  places, 

Moved  with  violence,  changed  in  hue, 

Caught  each  other  with  wild  grimaces, 

Half-invisible  to  the  view, 

Wheeling  with  precipitate  paces 

To  the  melody,  till  they  flew, 

Hair,  and  eyes,  and  limbs,  and  faces, 

Twisted  hard  in  fierce  embraces, 

Like  to  Furies,  like  to  Graces, 

Dash'd  together  in  blinding  dew. 

Till,  kill'd  with  some  luxurious  agony, 

The  nerve-dissolving  melody 

Flutter'd  headlong  from  the  sky. 

TENNYSON,  The  Vision  of  Sin. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  any  one  of  the  foregoing 
extracts  is  to  be  read  in  uniformly  slow  or  uniformly  fast 
time ;  that  will  change  with  each  variation  in  the  impor- 
tance of  the  thought.  Without  attempting  to  force  any 
interpretation  upon  the  student,  an  illustration  is  appended 
in  which  he  may  note  how  the  relative  importance  of  the 
ideas  affects  the  rate  of  movement  in  the  various  phrases. 

Med.  *'  Wherefore  rejoice  ?     What  conquest  brings  he  home  ? 

Med.  What  tributaries  follow  him  to  Rome, 

Fast,  To  grace  in  captive  bonds  his  chariot  wheels  ? 


STUDIES   IN  FORMULATION.  215 

Slow.  You  blocks,  you  stones,  you  worse  than  senseless  things ! 

Very  slow.  O  you  hard  hearts,  you  cruel  men  of  Rome,                   5 

Med.  and  fast.     Knew  you  not  Pompey  ?     Many  a  time  and  oft 

Fast.  Have  you  climb' d  up  to  walls  and  battlements, 

Fast.  To  towers  and  windows,  yea,  to  chimney-tops, 

Med.  .             Your  infants  in  your  arms,  and  there  have  sat 

Med.  The  livelong  day,  with  patient  expectation,                  10 

Med.  To  see  great  Pompey  pass  the  streets  of  Rome  : 

Med.  And  when  you  saw  his  chariot  but  appear, 

Fast.  Have  you  not  made  an  universal  shout, 

Fast.  That  Tiber  trembled  underneath  her  banks, 

Fast.  To  hear  the  replication  of  your  sounds                           15 

Fast.  Made  in  her  concave  shores  ? 

Slow.  And  do  you  now  put  on  your  best  attire  ? 

Med.  And  do  you  now  cull  out  a  holiday  ? 

Med.  And  do  you  now  strewr  flowers  in  his  way, 

Fast.  That  comes  in  triumph  over  Pompey' s  blood  ?             20 

Begone ! 

Med.  Run  to  your  houses,  fall  upon  your  knees, 

Slow.  Pray  to  the  gods  to  intermit  the  plague 

Slow.  That  needs  must  light  on  this  ingratitude."                  24 

It  must  be  apparent  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  suggest 
by  a  word  the  rate  of  speed  at  which  one  would  render 
a  given  line.  Fast  and  slow  are  relative  terms.  Certain 
speakers  would  consider  slow  reading  what  another  would 
consider  moderate.  Yet  there  is  on  the  whole  a  pretty 
general  agreement  as  to  the  use  of  these  terms.  With 
this  statement  we  may  proceed  to  an  analysis  of  the  selec- 
tion to  justify  the  marking. 

The  citizens  of  Rome  have  just  declared  to  the  Trib- 
unes, enemies  of  Caesar,  why  the  people  are  making  holi- 
day: "  We  make  holiday  to  see  Caesar,  and  to  rejoice  in 
his  triumph."  Whereupon  Marullus,  one  of  the  Tribunes, 
begins  the  speech,  endeavoring  to  impress  upon  the  mob 
that  there  is  absolutely  nothing  Caesar  has  done  to  merit 
this  ovation.  After  the  word  "  tributaries  "  the  time  is 


216  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

accelerated  for  the  reason  that  all  that  follows,  to  the  end 
of  the  query,  is  virtually  repetitious,  being  included  in  the 
idea  of  tributaries.  The  indicated  marking  of  lines  four 
and  five  needs  no  justification.  "  Knew  you  not  Pompey ?  " 
is  a  question  containing  reproach.  The  latter  element  will 
tend  to  retard  the  movement.  "  Many  a  time  and  oft  "  is 
repetitious;  he  is  simply  reminding  them  of  well-known 
facts.  When  the  speaker  reaches  "yea,  to  chimney-tops," 
the  importance  of  the  idea  is  at  once  manifest  in  the 
slower  time,  which  continues  to  "arms,"  when  it  again 
changes  to  medium  and  fast.  The  student  may  find  it  a 
good  drill  to  examine  the  remaining  lines,  to  see  whether 
he  agrees  or  differs  with  the  time-markings. 


n.     GROUPING. 

Let  the  student  study  carefully  the  following  extract, 
and  then  read  it  aloud :  — 

"  But  when  the  gray  dawn  stole  into  his  tent, 
He  rose,  and  clad  himself,  and  girt  his  sword, 
And  took  his  horseman's  cloak,  and  left  his  tent, 
And  went  abroad  into  the  cold  wet  fog, 
Through  the  dim  camp  to  Peran-Wisa's  tent." 

He  will  notice  a  tendency  to  break  up  the  sentence 
into  groups  of  varying  length.  This  tendency  is  more  or 
less  instinctive ;  and  while  there  may  be  some  difference 
of  opinion  as  to  the  number  of  groups,  yet  it  must  be  con- 
ceded that  there  is  a  definite  underlying  principle,  which 
admits  of  no  exception.  For  instance,  one  might  read  the 
fourth  line  as  if  it  were  but  one  group ;  another,  with  vir- 
tually the  same  idea  in  mind,  might  divide  it  into  two 


STUDIES  IN  FORMULATION.  217 

groups  at  the  word  "abroad."  On  the  other  hand,  no 
one  would  read  like  this :  "  And  went  abroad  into  the '" 
—  "cold  wet  fog  through"  -"the  dim  camp  to  Peran- 
Wisa's  tent." 

Read  the  following  sentences  aloud  carefully,  and  it 
will  be  noticed  that  the  same  principle  of  grouping  ob- 
tains :  — 

"  The  star  of  Napoleon  was  just  rising  to  its  zenith  as  that  of 
Washington  was  passing  away." 

"  The  name  and  memory  of  Washington  will  travel  with  the  Sil- 
ver Queen  of  Heaven  through  sixty  degrees  of  longitude,  nor  part 
company  with  her  till  she  walks  in  her  brightness  through  the 
Golden  Gate  of  California,  and  pa&ses  serenely  on  to  hold  midnight 
court  with  her  Australian  Stars." 

The  reading  of  these  shows  that  grouping  is  entirely 
independent  of  punctuation.  It  is  true  that  the  spoken 
group  may  coincide  with  the  grammatical  group,  but  that 
is  merely  an  accident.  We  group  as  we  do,  not  because 
of  punctuation  marks,  but  for  more  fundamental  and  less 
conventional  reasons.  The  function  of  the  punctuation 
mark  is  to  assist  the  reader  in  getting  the  author's  thought. 
The  following  example  will  illustrate  this :  — 

"  The  slaves  who  were  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel  had  been  cap- 
tured in  Africa." 

It  is  plain  that  the  clause  introduced  by  "who"  is 
a  restrictive  one,  and  implies  that  there  were  other  slaves 
on  the  vessel  besides  those  mentioned.  If  we  now  insert 
commas  after  "slaves  "  and  "vessel,"  the  sentence  becomes 
equivalent  to,  The  slaves,  and  they  were  all  in  the  hold 
of  the  vessel,  had  been  captured  in  Africa. 


218  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Note,  again,  how  the  sense  would  be  obscured  if  the  au- 
thor had  omitted  the  comma  after  "  all  "  in  this  extract :  - 

"  For  we  are  all,  like  swimmers  in  the  sea, 
Poised  on  the  top  of  a  huge  wave  of  fate." 

To  prove  that  grouping  is  independent  of  punctuation, 
let  the  student  read  aloud  the  following  illustrations :  - 

"But,  look  you,  Cassius, 
The  angry  spot  doth  glow  on  Caesar's  brow." 

"  I  saw  Mark  Antony  offer  him  a  crown ;  and,  as  I  told  you,  he 
put  it  by  once ;  but,  for  all  that,  to  my  thinking  he  would  have  had 
it  ...  and,  for  mine  own  part,  I  dare  not  laugh." 

The  object  of  these  illustrations  has  been  to  free  the 
student  from  a  very  common  misconception  that  the  group 
is  determined  by  the  punctuation  mark.  It  has  been 
shown  that  this  is  not  the  case.  The  punctuation  will 
make  the  sense  clear  wherever  such  help  is  necessary,  but 
after  that  the  student  need  give  it  110  further  attention. 

In  order  to  avoid  carelessness,  the  student  should  prac- 
tice grouping  in  the  following  extracts,  which  will  afford 
him  excellent  exercise  :  - 

"So  every  bondman  in  his  own  hand  bears 
The  power  to  cancel  his  captivity." 

"And  as  the  greatest  only  are, 
In  his  simplicity  sublime." 

"  The  first  object  of  a  free  people  is  the  preservation  of  their 
liberty ;  and  liberty  is  only  to  be  preserved  by  maintaining  consti- 
tutional restraints  and  just  divisions  of  political  power." 

"  Soon  after  William  H.  Harrison's  nomination,  a  writer  in  one 
of  the  leading  administration  papers  spoke  of  his  'log  cabin  '  and  his 
use  of  '  hard  cider,'  by  way  of  sneer  and  reproach.  .  .  . 

It  did  hot  happen  to  me  to  be  born  in  a  log  cabin,  but  my  elder 


STUDIES   IN   FORMULATION.  219 

brothers  and  sisters  were  born  in  a  log  cabin,  raised  amid  the  snow- 
drifts of  New  Hampshire,  at  a  period  so  early  that,  when  the  smoke 
rose  from  its  rude  chimney  and  curled  over  the  frozen  hills,  there 
was  no  similar  evidence  of  a  white  man's  habitation  between  it  and 
the  settlements  on  the  rivers  of  Canada." 

The  following  example  is  an  excellent  one  to  illustrate 
the  necessity  of  paying  careful  attention  to  grouping :  — 

"  Of  Man's  first  disobedience,  and  the  fruit 
Of  that  forbidden  tree,  whose  mortal  taste 
Brought  death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  woe, 
With  loss  of  Eden,  till  one  greater  Man 
Restore  us,  and  regain  the  blissful  seat, 
Sing,  Heavenly  Muse,  that  on  the  secret  top 
Of  Oreb,  or  of  Sinai,  didst  inspire 
That  shepherd,  who  first  taught  the  chosen  seed, 
In  the  beginning  how  the  Heav'ns  and  Earth 
Rose  out  of  Chaos." 

Note  that  the  spirit  did  not  teach  the  shepherd  "  in  the 
beginning,"  but  "  how  the  Heavens  and  Earth  rose "  in 
the  beginning,  uout  of  Chaos." 


IP.     THE   PAUSE   AS   AN   EXPRESSIVE   ELEMENT. 

In  the  study  of  grouping  the  student  has  noticed  that 
the  groups  were  separated  by  pauses  of  varying  duration. 
It  may  be  said  that  the  pauses  were  the  results  of  the 
grouping  rather  than  that  the  grouping  was  the  result  of 
the  pauses.  In  other  words  the  pause  could  hardly  be 
called  expressive. 

We  are  now  to  study  the  pause  as  an  expressive  ele- 
ment. No  definite  rule  can  be  laid  down  for  pausing ; 
that  is  determined,  to  a  large  extent,  by  the  temperament, 
the  nature  of  the  thought,  and  the  occasion.  It  must  be 


220  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the  pause  is  not  mere  silence. 
A  very  little  observation  will  show  the  student  that  while 
the  voice  ceases  the  thought  continues  to  manifest  itself  in 
pantomimic  expression.  What  is  it,  then,  that  determines 
the  pause?  The  answer  has  already  been  given  in  the 
treatment  of  formulation.  It  remains  now  simply  to  state 
that  the  pause  is  made  as  the  result,  to  a  greater  or  less 
degree,  of  collateral  thinking.  In  other  words,  any  given 
idea  calls  up  another  train  of  thought,  with  which  the 
mind  engages  itself,  and  such  engagement  finds  actual  ex- 
pression in  the  pause.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the 
collateral  thinking  may  take  the  mind  backward  or  for- 
ward. According  to  the  amount  of  this  collateral  think- 
ing will  be  the  duration  of  the  pause. 

An  extract  from  the  play  of  Julius  Ccesar  will  illustrate 
this  point.  In  the  fifth  act  Brutus  and  Cassius  have 
taken  their  "everlasting  farewell,"  and  Brutus  ends  the 
interview  with  these  words,  — 

Why  then,  lead  on.  —  O,  that  a  man  might  know 
The  end  of  this  day's  business,  ere  it  come! 
But  it  sufficeth,  that  the  day  will  end, 
And  then  the  end  is  known. 

The  first  four  words  of  this  speech  are  addressed  to  the 
onlookers.  The  word  "on"  takes  the  mind  of  the 
thoughtful  and  considerate  leader  to  the  battlefield  where 
the  fate  of  Rome  is  to  be  decided.  He  perceives  that  the 
future  of  his  beloved  city  hangs  trembling  in  the  balance. 
The  appearance  on  the  preceding  night  of  the  ghost  of 
Caesar  warning  him  that  it  will  see  him  at  Philippi,  fills 
Brutus  with  apprehension.  And  then,  how  many  of  his 
followers,  now  so  ready  to  do  battle  under  his  standard, 


STUDIES  IN  FORMULATION.  221 

will,  ere  night,  lie  cold  in  death  upon  the  bioody  field ! 
All  this  and  more  passes  through  his  mind,  and  his  solici- 
tude and  apprehension  manifest  themselves  in  his  features 
and  in  his  body.  Then  .even  the  stoical  Brutus  cannot 
repress  his  anxiety,  which  we  note  in  the  words,  "  O,  that 
a  man  might  know."  This  extract,  therefore,  well  illus- 
trates what  w^as  said  above,  —  that  the  pause,  as  we  here 
consider  it,  is  not  mere  silence,  but  cessation  of  voice 
while  the  expression  continues  in  the  body.  In  the  second 
place,  it  is  plain  that  the  collateral  thinking  determines 
the  length  of  the  pause. 

Another  element  that  determines  the  duration  of  the 
pause  is  the  distance  apart  of  the  thoughts  separated  by 
the  pause.  Let  us  illustrate  this  :  — 

"  If  this  law  were  put  upon  our  statute  books  there  would  not  be, 
five  years  from  to-day,  a  dissenting  voice  raised  against  it  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific." 

Let  it  not  be  understood  that  there  are  no  occasions  when 
the  phrase  "  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  "  would  not 
be  uttered  with  scarcely  any  pause  after  Atlantic.  This 
phrase,  and  others  like  it,  may  have  become  a  mere  com- 
monplace to  describe  extent;  but  in  such  a  passage  as  the 
above,  where  the  speaker  is  hyperbolically  expressive,  he 
no  doubt  intends  to  convey  the  idea  that  not  one  objec- 
tion would  be  heard  even  in  all  the  three  thousand  miles 
between  the  oceans.  If  the  student  will  stop  for  a  mo- 
ment to  analyze  his  own  consciousness  while  uttering 
this  sentence,  he  will  scarcely  fail  to  see  the  vast  extent  of 
territory  separating  the  two  oceans. 

Many  writers  on  the  subject  have  given  emotion  as  a 


222  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

reason  for  the  pause.  Strictly  speaking,  however,  emotion, 
as  distinct  from  thinking,  seldom  or  never  is  the  cause  of 
the  pause,  unless  it  completely  chokes  the  utterance.  In 
the  example  quoted  above  from  Julius  Ccesar,  there  is  no 
doubt  considerable  emotion  during  the  pause  ;  but  it  is  the 
thought,  and  not  the  emotion  arising  out  of  it,  that  leads 
to  the  silence. 

"  and  there  were  drawn 
Upon  a  heap  a  hundred  ghastly  women 
Transformed  with  their  fear,  who  swore  they  saw 
Men  all  in  fire  walk  up  and  down  the  streets." 

"  And  the  complexion  of  the  element 
In  favor's  like  the  work  we  have  in  hand, 
Most  bloody,  fiery,  and  most  terrible." 

u  He  were  no  lion,  were  not  Romans  hinds." 

"  Those  that  with  haste  will  make  a  mighty  fire 
Begin  it  with  weak  straws." 

u  A  piece  of  work  that  will  make  sick  men  whole." 

"  Danger  knows  full  well 
That  Caesar  is  more  dangerous  than  he. 
"We  are  two  lions  litter'd  in  one  day, 
And  I  the  elder  and  more  terrible." 


curs'd  be  thou  ;  since  against  his  thy  will 
Chose  freely  what  it  now  so  justly  rues. 
Me  miserable  !  which  way  shall  I  fly 
Infinite  wrath,  and  infinite  despair  ? 
Which  way  1  fly  is  Hell  ;  myself  am  Hell  ; 
And  in  the  lowest  deep  a  lower  deep 
Still  threatening  to  devour  me  opens  wide 
To  which  the  Hell  I  suffer  seems  a  Heav'n." 

But  say  I  could  repent  and  could  obtain 
By  act  of  grace  my  former  state,  how  soon 
Would  height  recall  high  thoughts,  how  soon  unsay 
What  feign'  d  submission  swore." 

This  knows  my  punisher  ;  therefore  as  far 
From  granting  he,  as  I  from  begging  peace." 


STUDIES  IN  FORMULATION.  223 

"  No  more  in  soldier  fashion  will  he  greet 
With  lifted  hand  the  gazer  in  the  street." 

"  Before  the  starry  threshold  of  Jove's  court 
My  mansion  is,  where  those  immortal  shapes 
Of  bright  aerial  spirits  live  inspher'd 
In  regions  mild  of  calm  and  serene  air." 

"  Whether  'tis  nobler  in  the  mind  to  suffer 
The  slings  and  arrows  of  outrageous  fortune, 
Or  to  take  arms  against  a  sea  of  troubles, 
And  by  opposing  end  them?" 

"  And  the  sunset  paled  and  warmed  once  more 

With  a  softer,  tenderer  afterglow  ; 
In  the  east  was  moonrise  with  boats  off-shore  ; 
And  sails  in  the  distance  drifting  slow." 

Having  studied  these  two  elements  of  Formulation, 
Movement  and  Pause,  the  student  will  have  perceived 
that  the  time  is  affected  in  two  ways ;  i.e.,  by  the  quan- 
tity of  the  syllables,  and  by  the  pause.  For  instance,  one 
might  utter  the  words  of  a  sentence  rapidly,  and,  by  mak- 
ing frequent  and  long  pauses,  consume  a  good  deal  of  time 
in  the  rendition  of  that  sentence.  The  philosophy  of  for- 
mulation will  explain  this.  When  one  dwells  upon  a  syl- 
lable, he  is  thinking  the  thought  while  giving  it  utterance  ; 
when  he  reads  rapidly,  with  long  pauses,  he  is  doing  his 
thinking  between  the  words  or  groups.  The  student,  for 
practice,  may  read  any  of  the  preceding  passages  in  both 
ways. 

The  prosodial  pauses  have  been  treated  at  sufficient 
length  in  the  first  part  of  this  work. 


CHAPTER   II. 

STUDIES    IN    DISCRIMINATION. 

Completeness  includes  :  — 

I.  FINALITY. 

Let  the  student,  in  the  following  examples,  aim  to 
assert  his  arguments  or  his  principles  so  that  there  shall 

be  no  doubt  of  his  interest  in  the  subject. 

• 

I  honestly  and  solemnly  declare,  I  have  in  all  seasons  adhered 
to  the  system  of  1766  for  no  other  reason,  than  that  I  think  it  laid 
deep  in  your  truest  interests ;  and  that,  by  limiting  the  exercise,  it 
fixes,  on  the  firmest  foundations,  a  real,  consistent,  well-grounded 
authority  in  Parliament.  Until  you  come  back  to  that  system,  there 
will  be  no  peace  for  England.  —  BURKE. 

Let  our  object  be,  our  country,  our  whole  country,  and  nothing 
but  our  country.  Arid,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  may  that  country 
itself  become  a  vast  and  splendid  monument,  not  of  oppression  and 
terror,  but  of  Wisdom,  of  Peace,  and  of  Liberty,  upon  which  the 
world  may  gaze  with  admiration  for  ever !  —  WEBSTER. 

The  party  of  Freedom  will  certainly  prevail.  It  may  be  by 
entering  into  and  possessing  one  of  the  old  parties,  filling  it  with  our 
own  strong  life ;  or  it  may  be  by  drawing  to  itself  the  good  and  true 
from  both  who  are  unwilling  to  continue  in  a  political  combination 
when  it  ceases  to  represent  their  convictions ;  but,  in  one  way  or  the 
other,  its  ultimate  triumph  is  sure.  Of  this  let  no  man  doubt.— 

SUMNER. 

II.  MOMENT AEY  COMPLETENESS. 

The  purpose  of  the  following  drills  is  not  to  train  the 
student  in  the  manner  of  making  inflections,  but  rather  to 

224 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  225 

impress  upon  his  mind  the  fact  that  rhetorically  a  sentence 
may  be  complete  even  though  the  point  of  completion  be 
not  marked  by  a  full  stop.  In  other  words,  the  drill  is 
one  in  mental,  rather  than  vocal,  technique. 

The  student  must  determine  the  purpose  in  every  case, 
and  then  trust  his  voice  to  manifest  that  purpose. 

"Hence!  home,1  you  idle  creatures,  get  you  home." 

"Speak,  what  trade  art  thou?" 

"  Where  is  thy  leather  apron,  and  thy  rule  ?  " 

"You  blocks,  you  stones,  you  worse  than  senseless  things." 

"Many  a  time  and  oft 

Have  you  climb' d  up  to  walls  and  battlements, 
To  towers  and  windows,  yea,  to  chimney-tops. 
Your  infants  in  your  arms,  and  there  have  sat 

To  see  great  Pompey  pass  the  streets  of  Rome." 

"  Be  gone! 

Run  to  your  houses,  fall  upon  your  knees, 
Pray  to  the  gods  to  intermit  the  plague 
That  needs  must  light  on  this  ingratitude." 

"Then,  Brutus,  I  have  much  mistook  your  passion; 
By  means  whereof  this  breast  of  mine  hath  buried 
Thoughts  of  great  value,  worthy  cogitations." 

"  I  was  born  free  as  Ccesar,  so  were  you  ; 
We  both  have  fed  as  well,  and  we  can  both 
Endure  the  winter's  cold  as  well  as  he." 

"  His  coward  lips  did  from  their  color  fly, 
And  that  same  eye  whose  bend  doth  awe  the  world 
Did  lose  his  lustre." 

"Ye  gods,  it  doth  amaze  me, 
A  man  of  such  a  feeble  temper  should 

.  .  .  bear  the  palm  alone." 

1  The  falling  inflection  may  properly  be  given  on  the  italicized  words  ;  but  the 
latter  are  not  therefore  necessarily  to  be  emphasized. 


226  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

"Why,  man,  he  doth  bestride  the  narrow  world 
Like  a  Colossus,  and  we  petty  men 
Walk  under  his  huge  legs  and  peep  about 
To  find  ourselves  dishonorable  graves." 

**  Let  me  have  men  about  me  that  are  fat, 
Sleek-headed  men,  and  such  as  sleep  o'  nights." 

"Seldom  he  smiles,  and  smiles  in  such  a  sort, 
As  if  he  mocked  himself." 

"  Such  men  as  he  be  never  at  heart's  ease 
Whiles  they  behold  a  greater  than  themselves, 
And  therefore  are  they  very  dangerous." 

"  Come  on  my  right  hand,  for  this  ear  is  deaf, 
And  tell  me  truly  what  thou  think'st  of  him." 

"  Why,  there  was  a  crown  offered  him  ;  and,  being  offered  him, 
he  put  it  by  with  the  back  of  his  hand,  thus." 

"  I  can  as  well  be  hanged  as  tell  the  manner  of  it ;  it  was  mere 
foolery,  I  did  not  mark  it." 

"  You  look  pale,  and  gaze, 
And  put  on  fear,  and  case  yourself  in  wonder, 
To  see  the  strange  impatience  of  the  heavens." 

"Stand  close  awhile,  for  here  comes  one  in  haste." 
"How  that  might  change  his  nature,  there's  the  question." 

"But  when  he  once  attains  the  upmost  round 
He  then  unto  the  ladder  turns  his  back, 
Looks  in  the  clouds,  scorning  the  base  degrees 
By  which  he  did  ascend." 

"  .  .  .  let  us  not  break  with  him, 
For  he  will  never  follow  anything 
That  other  men  begin." 

Grammatical  and  Formal  Incompleteness. 
I.   SUBORDINATION. 

"What  India  and   France  wanted,  and  that   is  what  we  want 
to-day,  was  live  men." 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  227 

"  This  globe,  once  a  mass  of  molten  granite,  now  blooms  almost 
a  paradise." 

Clive,  ill  and  exhausted  as  he  was,  undertook  to  make  an  army 
of  this  undisciplined  rabble,  and  marched  with  them  to  Covelong. 
A  shot  from,  the  fort  killed  one  of  these  extraordinary  soldiers ;  on 
which  all  the  rest  faced  about  and  ran  away,  and  it  was  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  Clive  rallied  them.  On  another  occasion,  the 
noise  of  a  gun  terrified  the  sentinels  so  much  that  one  of  them  was 
found,  some  hours  later,  at  the  bottom  of  a  well.  Clive  gradually 
accustomed  them  to  danger,  and,  by  exposing  himself  constantly  in 
the  most  perilous  situation,  shamed  them  into  courage.  He  at  length 
succeeded  in  forming  a  respectable  force  out  of  his  unpromising  ma- 
terials. Covelong  fell.  Clive  learned  that  a  strong  detachment  was 
marching  to  relieve  it  from  Chingleput.  He  took  measures  to  pre- 
vent the  enemy  from  learning  that  they  were  too  late,  laid  an  am- 
buscade for  them  on  the  road,  killed  a  hundred  of  them  with  one 
fire,  took  three  hundred  prisoners,  pursued  the  fugitives  to  the  gates 
of  Chingleput,  laid  siege  instantly  to  that  fastness,  reputed  one  of 
the  strongest  in  India,  made  a  breach,  and  was  on  the  point  of 
storming,  when  the  French  commandant  capitulated  and  retired 
with  his  men.  —  MACAULAY. 

But  scarce  again  his  horn  he  wound, 

When  lo !  forth  starting  at  the  sound, 

From  underneath  an  aged  oak 

That  slanted  from  the  islet  rock, 

A  damsel  guider  of  its  way, 

A  little  skiff  shot  to  the  bay, 

That  round  the  promontory  steep 

Led  its  deep  line  in  graceful  sweep, 

Eddying,  in  almost  viewless  wave, 

The  sweeping  willow  twig  to  lave, 

And  kiss,  with  whispering  sound  and  slow, 

The  beach  of  pebbles  bright  as  snow. 

SCOTT. 

II.    ANTICIPATION. 

"  Antonio,  I  am  married  to  a  wife, 
Which  is  as  dear  to  me  as  life  itself; 
But  life  itself,  my  wife,  and  all  the  world, 


228  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Are  not  with  me  esteem' d  above  thy  life: 
I  would  lose  all,  ay,  sacrifice  them  all 
Here  to  this  devil,  to  deliver  you." 

"  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on 
earth  to  forgive  sins,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and 
go  unto  thy  house." 

"  I  hold  that  he  who  humbly  tries 
To  find  wherein  his  duty  lies, 
And  finding,  does  the  same,  and  bears 
Its  burdens  lightly,  and  its  cares, 
Is  nobler,  in  his  low  estate, 
Than  crowned  king  or  potentate." 

"Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said  by  them  of  old  time, 
Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself." 

"  To  prevent  this,  and  secure  the  independence  of  the  judges, 
after  the  English  Revolution  of  1689,  it  was  fixed  by  the  Act  of 
Settlement,  as  it  is  called,  that  the  King  should  not  have  the  power 
to  remove  judges,  but  that  they  should  hold  their  offices  'during 
good  behavior.' " 

"Now,  gentlemen,  looking  on  the  face  of  this,  it  would  be 
naturally  inferred  that  notwithstanding  his  'good  behavior,'  and 
without  alleging  any  violation  of  it,  a  judge  could,  nevertheless,  be 
removed  by  address." 

"  Standing  as  we  do  to-day  in  the  presence  of  this  fearful  evil, 
surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  enemies  of  law  and  good  government, 
with  factions  within  our  own  ranks  striving  in  selfish  ways  each  to 
attain  its  own  ends,  nothing  can  save  us  but  honesty,  integrity,  and 
magnanimity." 

There  are  many  occasions  when  there  is  reasonable 
room  for  a  difference  of  opinion  in  the  rendition  of  certain 
passages.  For  instance,  in  the  last  of  the  extracts  under 
"  Momentary  Completeness,"  one  might  consider  the  sen- 
tence as  momentarily  complete  at  "anything."  The  stu- 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  229 

dent  may  render  it  both  ways,  determining  the  meaning 
in  each  case. 

One  should  be  very  careful  in  deciding  this  question. 
Where  there  is  a  preponderance  of  momentary  complete- 
ness, the  delivery  will  appear  too  emphatic  and  have  the 
effect  of  dogmatism ;  and  furthermore,  the  sign  of  momen- 
tary completeness,  when  used  too  frequently,  will  make 
so  many  ideas  emphatic  that  there  will  be  no  perspective, 
no  proportion.  Here  are  excellent  examples  for  practice. 

One  mast  was  broken  short  off,  six  or  eight  feet  from  the  deck, 
and  lay  over  on  the  side,  entangled  in  a  maze  of  sail  and  rigging ; 
and  in  that  ruin,  as  the  ship  rolled  and  beat,  —  which  she  did  with  a 
violence  quite  inconceivable,  —  beat  the  side  as  if  it  would  stave  it 
in.  Some  efforts  were  being  made  to  cut  this  portion  of  the  wreck 
away ;  for  as  the  ship,  which  was  broadside  on,  turned  toward  us  in 
her  rolling,  I  plainly  descried  her  people  at  work  with  axes  —  espe- 
cially one  active  figure,  with  long  curling  hair.  But  a  great  cry, 
audible  even  above  the  wind  and  water,  rose  from  the  shore ;  the 
sea,  sweeping  over  the  wreck,  made  a  clean  breach,  and  carried  men, 
spars,  casks,  planks,  bulwarks,  —  heaps  of  such  toys,  into  the  boiling 
surge DICKENS. 

Down  the  rivers,  o'er  the  prairies, 
Came  the  warriors  of  the  nations, 
Came  the  Delawares  and  Mohawks, 
Came  the  Choctaws  and  Camanches, 
Came  the  Shoshonies  and  Blackfeet, 
Came  the  Pawnees  and  Omahas, 
Came  the  Mandans  and  Dacotahs, 
Came  the  Hurons  and  Ojibways, 
All  the  warriors  drawn  together 
By.  the  signal  of  the  Peace-Pipe, 
To  the  Mountains  of  the  Prairie, 
To  the  great  Red  Pipe-stone  Quarry. 

LONGFELLOW. 

"  The  seed  sown  in  life  springs  up  in  harvests  of  blessings  or 
harvests  of  sorrow,  whether  our  influence  be  great  or  small,  whether 


230  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

it  be  good  or  evil ;  it  lasts,  it  lives  somewhere,  within  some  limit, 
and  is  operative  wherever  it  is.  The  grave  buries  the  dead  dust; 
but  the  character  walks  the  world,  and  distributes  itself  as  a  bene- 
diction or  a  curse  among  the  families  of  mankind." 

Implied  Incompleteness. 

I.  NEGATIVE  STATEMENT. 

"I  do  not  claim  this  is  the  only  method." 

"I  cannot  promise  definitely,  but  I  think  you  may  rely  upon 
getting  it." 

"  I  shall  wait  for  you  in  the  lobby,  if  you  don't  tarry  too  long." 
"  It  doesn't  look  like  rain,  does  it  ?  " 

II.  NON- AFFIRMATIVE  STATEMENT. 

A.  Concession. 

"  There   are   some  arguments  in    its   favor,  but   they  are   not 
weighty." 

"  No,  nobody  claims  that." 

"  I   grant   I    may   have    taken    the   honorable    gentleman    by 
surprise." 

B.  Inability  to  Assert. 

"  I  cannot  tell  what  you  and  other  men 
Think  of  this  life,  but,  for  my  single  self, 
I  had  as  lief  not  be  as  live  to  be 
In  awe  of  such  a  thing  as  I  myself." 

0.    Unwillingness  to  Assert. 

"  I  do  not  charge  the  gentleman  with  willful  misstaternent,  but  1 
would  rather  say  he  is  a  great  economizer  of  the  truth." 

"  I  do  not  like  to  think  that  the  opposition  is  purposely  delaying 
the  vote  on  this  question." 

"Never  fear  that:  if  he  be  so  resolved, 
I  can  o'ersway  him." 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  231 

D.    Sense  of  Triviality. 

"  It  would  be  idle  to  base  an  opinion  on  any  argument  of  Mr. 
Webster." 

"  O,  that  is  of  no  consequence ;  you  don't  believe  that." 

"  It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  go  over  the  charges  of  the  at- 
torney for  the  plaintiff  ;  they  are  trivial  and  unimportant." 

JE.    Obviousness  or  Familiarity  in  Thought. 

"  It  goes  without  saying  that  you  know  the  early  history  of  thesw 
people." 

"  There  are  very  few  who  haven't  a  bowing  acquaintance  with 
this  subject." 

"You  know  me  well,  and  herein  spend  but  time 
To  wind  about  my  love  with  circumstance." 

F.  The  Anticipatory  or  Negative  Member  of  an  Antith- 
esis. 

"  Not  that  I  loved  CaBsar  less,  but  that  I  loved  Rome  more." 

"  It  is  not  that  I  doubt  the  gentleman's  honesty,  but  that  I 
question  his  authority." 

"  It  was  at  the  end  of  the  war  that  this  incident  occurred ;  not 
at  the  beginning." 

III.    DOUBT. 

Uncertainty,  confusion,  hesitation,  and  other  forms  of 
doubt,  are  really  questions,  —  the  mind  seeking  solution 
of  difficult  and  perplexing  problems. 

"  I  wish  I  could  find  some  way  out  of  this,  but"  — 

"  There  ought  to  be  some  other  method  of  solving  this  difficulty : 
let  me  see,  let  me  see." 

"  I  would  I  had  been  there." 


232  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

IV.  INTERROGATION  DIRECT,  answerable  by  "yes  "  or 
"  no." 

"  Are  you  the  owner  of  this  house  ?  " 
"  Can  you  tell  me  what  time  it  is  ?  " 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  confuse  this  form  of  Inter- 
rogation with  Figurative  Interrogation.  The  latter  is 
often  strongly  assertive.  For  instance,  — 

"  God  of  battles,  was  ever  a  battle  like  this  in  the  world  before  ?  " 

This  is  equivalent  to  asking  a  question  and  answering 
it  at  the  same  time.  It  asks  in  words,  uwas  ever?"  It 
answers  in  inflection,  "there  never  was."  Grammatically, 
then,  it  is  a  question;  rhetorically,  it  is  an  exclamation. 
Here  is  another  form  of  Figurative  Interrogation,  — 

"  Are  you  going  out?"  (No  answer.)  "Are  you  going  out?" 
(I  demand  an  answer.) 

In  this  case  the  second  question  becomes  a  demand. 
The  speaker  cares  for  an  answer  not  so  much  because 
of  any  interest  in  it  as  such,  but  because  he  desires  his 
authority  respected. 

The  following  examples  of  Figurative  Interrogation 
should  be  carefully  studied :  - 

"  Is  there  a  single  atrocity  of  the  French  more  unprincipled  and 
inhuman  than  that  of  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia,  in  Poland  ?  " 

"  Did  he  not  know  that  he  was  making  history  that  hour?  Did 
he  not  know  this,  T  say." 

"  If  I  were  to  propose  three  cheers  for  Washington,  is  there  a 
single  man,  woman,  or  child  in  this  vast  audience  who  would  refuse 
to  lift  his  voice?" 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  233 

"  Have  you,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  considered  the  price  the 
state  asks  the  prisoner  to  pay  for  what  is  only  an  indiscretion  at 
most?  I  repeat,  have  you  considered  the  price?" 

"  Has  the  gentleman  done  ?     Has  he  completely  done  ?  " 

A  very  interesting  psychological  question  arises  in  con- 
nection with  Figurative  Interrogation.  It  has  been  shown 
how  the  grammatical  question  becomes  an  oratorical  as- 
sertion ;  but  there  is  a  point  in  assertion  beyond  which  it 
may  pass  and  become  intense  emotional  question.  In  this 
sentence,  "  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right?  " 
we  have  an  illustration.  There  are  three  possibilities 
here.  First:  A  simple  question  looking  for  information. 
Second :  An  exclamation  equivalent  to,  Who  does  not 
know  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  shall  do  right? 
Third  (with  considerable  emotion)  :  Is  it  possible  that 
any  one  would  deny  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  shall 
do  right? 

V.   SUPPLICATION  OR  ENTREATY. 

"You  won't  leave  me,  father." 

"  Good  friends,  sweet  friends,  let  me  not  stir  you  up  to  such  a 
sudden  flood  of  mutiny  !  " 

"  O,  Hamlet,  speak  no  more." 

"  Pity  the  sorrows  of  a  poor  old  man." 

Complex  Relations. 

I.   COMPARISON  OR  CONTRAST,  WITH  AFFIRMATION, 

"  Not  inferior  to  this  was  the  wisdom  of  him  who  resolved  to 
shear  the  wolf.  What,  shear  a  wolf!  Have  you  considered  the 
danger  of  the  attempt?  No,  says  the  madman,  I  have  considered 
nothing  but  the  right." 


234  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

"  What  do  we  understand  to  have  been  the  conduct  of  this  mag- 
nanimous hero?  He  let  loose  his  soldiery  on  the  miserable,  un- 
armed people.  And  for  what?  Because  they  had  dared  to  join  in 
a  wish  to  improve  their  Constitution.  And  such  is  the  hero  upon 
whom  the  cause  of  '  religion  and  social  order '  is  to  repose !  And 
such  is  the  man  whom  we  praise  for  his  discipline  and  his  virtue, 
and  whom  we  hold  out  as  our  boast  and  our  dependence." 

II.  COMPARISON  OR  CONTRAST,  WITH  INCOMPLETE- 
NESS. 

"  Oh,  no  I     He  wouldn't  accept  a  bribe ;  of  course  not." 

"  You  meant  no  harm :  oh,  no  :  your  thoughts  are  innocent." 

"  It  isn't  the  secret  I  care  about ;  it's  the  slight,  Mr.  Caudle." 

III.  AFFIRMATION  WITH  INCOMPLETENESS. 

"  I  would  rather  be  the  follower  if  I  had  my  choice." 

HAMLET.     I  pray  you. 

GUILDENSTERN.     Believe  me,  I  cannot. 

HAMLET.     I  do  beseech  you. 

GUILDENSTERX.     I  know  no  touch  of  it,  my  lord. 

HAMLET.  It  is  as  easy  as  lying  [as  you  have  been  doing]  :  gov- 
ern these  ventages  with  your  fingers  and  thumb,  give  it  breath  with 
your  mouth,  and  it  will  discourse  most  eloquent  music.  Look  you, 
these  are  the  stops. 

GUILDENSTERX.  But  these  cannot  I  command  to  any  utterance 
of  harmony ;  I  have  not  the  skill. 

HAMLET.  Why,  look  you  now,  how  unworthy  a  thing  you  make 
of  me !  You  would  play  upon  me ;  you  would  seem  to  know  my 
stops;  you  would  pluck  out  the  heart  of  my  mystery;  you  would 
sound  me  from  my  lowest  note  to  the  top  of  my  compass :  and  there 
is  much  music,  excellent  voice,  in  this  little  organ  ;  yet  cannot  you 
make  it  speak.  'S  blood,  do  you  think  I  am  easier  to  be  played  on 
than  a  pipe  f  Call  me  what  instrument  you  will,  though  you  can 
fret  me,  you  cannot  play  upon  me. 

Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii. 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  235 

The  following  selections  will  afford  the  student  excel- 
lent practice  in  the  various  kinds  of  complex  relations :  — 

CASSIUS.    A  friend  should  bear  his  friend's  infirmities, 
But  Brutus  makes  mine  greater  than  they  are. 

BRUTUS.   I  do  not,  till  you  practice  them  on  me. 

CASSIUS.    You  love  me  not. 

BRUTUS.  I  do  not  like  your  faults. 

CASSIUS.    A  friendly  eye  could  never  see  such  faults. 

BRUTUS.    A  flatterer's  would  not,  though  they  did  appear 
As  huge  as  high  Olympus. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  IV.,  Sc.  iii. 

HAMLET.     Now,  mother,  what's  the  matter? 

QUEEN.     Hamlet,  thou  hast  thy  father  much  offended. 

HAMLET.     Mother,  you  have  my  father  much  offended. 

QUEEN.     Come,  come ;  you  answer  with  an  idle  tongue. 

HAMLET.     Go,  go ;  you  question  with  a  wicked  tongue. 

QUEEN.     Why,  how  now,  Hamlet !     What's  the  matter  now  ? 
Have  you  forgot  me  ? 

HAMLET.  No,  by  the  rood,  not  so: 

You  are  the  Queen,  your  husband's  brother's  wife  ; 
And  —  would  it  were  not  so  !  —  you  are  my  mother. 

Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  iv. 

"  My  brave  associates,  —partners  of  my  toil,  my  feelings,  and  my 
fame  1  —  can  Rolla's  words  add  vigor  to  the  virtuous  energies  which 
inspire  your  hearts  ?  No  !  You  have  judged,  as  I  have,  the  foul- 
ness of  the  crafty  plea  by  which  these  bold  invaders  would  delude 
you.  Your  generous  spirit  has  compared,  as  mine  has,  the  motives 
which,  in  a  war  like  this,  can  animate  their  minds  and  ours.  They, 
by  a  strange  frenzy  driven,  fight  for  power,  for  plunder,  and  ex- 
tended rule  :  we,  for  our  country,  our  altars,  and  our  homes.  They 
follow  an  adventurer  whom  they  fear,  and  obey  a  power  which  they 
hate  :  we  serve  a  monarch  whom  we  love  —  a  God  whom  we  adore. 
Whene'er  they  move  in  anger,  desolation  tracks  their  progress  ! 
Whene'er  they  pause  in  amity,  affliction  mourns  their  friendship. 
They  boast  they  come  but  to  improve  our  state,  enlarge  our 
thoughts,  and  free  us  from  the  yoke  of  error  !  Yes  ;  they  will  give 
enlightened  freedom  to  our  minds,  who  are  themselves  the  slaves  of 


236  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

passion,  avarice,  and  pride  !  They  offer  us  their  protection :  yes, 
such  protection  as  vultures  give  to  lambs  —  covering  and  devouring 
them !  They  call  on  us  to  barter  all  of  good  we  have  enhanced  and 
proved,  for  the  desperate  chance  of  something  better  which  they 
promise.  Be  our  plain  answer  this  :  —  The  throne  we  honor  is  the 
people's  choice ;  the  laws  we  reverence  are  our  brave  fathers'  legacy ; 
the  faith  we  follow  teaches  us  to  live  in  bonds  of  charity  with  all 
mankind,  and  die  with  hope  of  bliss  beyond  the  grave.  Tell  your 
invaders  this  ;  and  tell  them,  too,  we  seek  no  change,  —  and,  least  of 
all,  such  change  as  they  would  bring  us  I  " 

"  But,  Mr.  Speaker,  we  have  a  right  to  tax  America.  Oh,  inesti- 
mable right !  Oh,  wonderful,  transcendent  right !  the  assertion  of 
which  has  cost  this  country  thirteen  provinces,  six  islands,  one  hun- 
dred thousand  lives,  and  seventy  millions  of  money  !  Oh,  invalu- 
able right !  for  the  sake  of  which  we  have  sacrificed  our  rank  among 
nations,  our  importance  abroad,  and  our  happiness  at  home  !  Oh, 
right,  more  dear  to  us  than  our  existence,  which  has  already  cost  us 
so  much,  and  which  seems  likely  to  cost  us  our  all !  Infatuated 
man !  miserable  and  undone  country !  not  to  know  that  the  claim  of 
right,  without  the  power  of  enforcing  it,  is  nugatory  and  idle.  We 
have  a  right  to  tax  America,  the  noble  lord  tells  us,  therefore  we 
ought  to  tax  America.  This  is  the  profound  logic  which  comprises 
the  whole  chain  of  his  reasoning. 

"  How  wonderful  that  a  nation  could  be  thus  deluded  !  But  the 
noble  lord  deals  in  cheats  and  delusions.  They  are  the  daily  traffic 
of  his  invention ;  and  he  will  continue  to  play  off  his  cheats  on  this 
house,  so  long  as  he  thinks  them  necessary  to  his  purpose,  and  so 
long  as  he  has  money  enough  at  command  to  bribe  gentlemen  to 
pretend  that  they  believe  him.  But  a  black  and  bitter  day  of  reck- 
oning will  surely  come ;  and  whenever  that  day  comes,  I  trust 
I  shall  be  able,  by  a  parliamentary  impeachment,  to  bring  upon 
the  heads  of  the  authors  of  our  calamities  the  punishment  they 
deserve." 

In  concluding  these  exercises  in  Discrimination  atten- 
tion may  be  drawn  to  another  statement  in  the  Orator's 
Manual,  by  Professor  Raymond.  "  The  melody  of  the 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  237 

movement  taken  by  the  voice  represents,  therefore,  like 
the  melody  in  music,  the  mind's  motive,  —  indicates  its 
purpose  in  using  the  particular  phraseology  to  which  the 
melody  is  applied ;  and  because  pitch,  through  the  kinds 
of  inflections  and  melody  chosen,  reveals  the  motives,  we 
shall  find  that  the  use  of  this  element  in  ordinary  conver- 
sation is  constantly  causing  precisely  the  same  phraseology 
to  express  entirely  opposite  meanings."  The  importance 
of  this  principle  can  scarcely  be  over-estimated.  A  study 
of  Discrimination  in  the  first  part  of  this  volume,  and  of 
the  exercises,  must  have  made  clear  the  necessity  of  de- 
tailed and  thoughtful  analysis  in  order  to  arrive  at  the 
exact  meaning.  The  slightest  change  in  the  inflection 
affects  the  melody,  and  where  that  is  not  right  it  means 
loss  of  power.  False  cadences,  "  ministerial "  tones,  mono- 
tony, melodic  driftings,  are  all  the  result  of  a  lack  of  per- 
ception, at  the  moment  of  speaking,  of  the  proper  motive. 

The  Central  Idea.  —  A  little  reflection  must  make  it 
manifest  that  every  sentence,  or  even  phrase,  has  a  cen- 
tral idea.  When  this  idea  is  brought  out  in  vocal  expres- 
sion it  is  by  means  of  some  form  of  emphasis,  such  as 
inflection  or  force  or  time,  and  so  forth.  The  exact  form 
of  the  manifestation  need  not  concern  us  here. 

The  student  is  urged  to  study  the  text  carefully  in 
order  that  he  may  be  sure  that  he  is  in  possession  of  the 
central  idea.  Perhaps  there  is  no  more  severe  test  of  the 
student's  apprehension  of  the  meaning  than  his  emphasis 
—  using  that  term  in  its  broadest  sense.  Determining 
the  central  idea  is  essentially  a  logical  process ;  the  stu- 
dent weighs  and  determines  the  value  of  every  word,  and 
by  a  process  of  elimination  finally  fixes  upon  the  exact 


288  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

thought  to  be  conveyed.  The  study  of  the  central  idea  is, 
then,  a  part  of  Discrimination. 

Rules  for  emphasis  so  commonly  given  are,  compara- 
tively, of  little  value.  If  the  student  has  the  thought, 
his  emphasis  may  be  trusted  to  take  care  of  itself ;  where 
he  has  not,  the  rules  are  confusing  and  misleading.  Mr. 
Alfred  Ayres  says  facetiously  but  truly,  "  There  is  only 
one  rule  for  emphasis  —  Gumption." 

It  is  understood  that  emphasis  has  a  much  wider  mean- 
ing than  that  of  merely  making  a  word  stand  out  distinctly 
by  means  of  force ;  it  includes  any  manner  of  making  a 
thought  prominent.  What  we  are  here  studying  is  simply 
that  form  of  emphasis  which  is  manifested  by  inflection 
or  force  or  both.  The  central  idea  in  colloquial  utterance 
is  generally  made  significant  through  force  ;  but  by  far  the 
most  suggestive  method,  when  occasion  requires,  is  through 
inflection.  Of  course,  these  two  are  very,  often  combined 
in  various  proportions. 

In  the  following  illustrations  two  classes  of  examples 
will  be  noticed.  In  the  first,  the  student  will  find  the 
central  ideas  indicated  by  means  of  italics  and  capitals.  It 
is  not  claimed  that  some  other  interpretation  might  not  be 
possible ;  but  that  suggested  is  at  least  justifiable.  The 
student  will  study  these  examples  carefully  with  the  ob- 
ject of  determining  the  reason  for  the  marking.  In  the 
second  list  of  illustrations  the  student  himself  will  deter- 
mine the  central  idea,  and  manifest  it  through  his  rendition. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  we  have  no  recognized  sym- 
bols for  showing  shades  and  degrees  of  emphasis.  The 
student  for  whom  this  work  is  intended  will  no  doubt  be 
able  to  determine  for  himself  whether  the  element  of  force 
or  that  of  inflection  predominates. 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  239 


STUDIES    IN    CENTRAL   IDEA.1 

There  on  the  dais  sat  another  king 

Wearing  his  robes,  his  crown,  his  SIGNET-RING. 

LONGFELLOW,  King  Robert  of  Sicily. 

Note  that  "  his  "  and  "  robes  "  are  of  about  equal  im- 
portance, the  former  perhaps  weighing  a  little  heavier 
than  the  latter.  In  the  next  phrase  the  inflection  on 
"  his  "  is  much  narrower  than  on  the  first  "  his,"  while 
the  "crown"  becomes  more  important.  Finally,  the  last 
"his"  has  no  emphasis,  while  the  climax  of  thought  and 
emotion  is  reached  on  "signet-ring." 

And  do  you  NOW  put  on  your  best  attire? 
And  do  you  NOW  cull  out  a  HOLIDAY  ? 
And  do  you  now  STREW  FLOWERS  in  HIS  way 
That  comes  in  triumph  over  Pompey's  blood  ? 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  I.,  Sc.  i. 

Note  the  climax  :  "  best  attire  "  is  weaker  than  "  holi- 
day," and  it  than  the  strewing  of  flowers.  Conversely, 
the  emphasis  on  "  now "  diminishes  at  each  repetition. 
The  context  should  be  carefully  digested. 

I  rather  tell  thee  what  is  to  be  feared 
Than  what  I  fear. 

Ibid.,  Act  I.,  Sc.  ii. 

An  actor  (?)  was  once  heard  to  read  the  above  passage, 
putting  his  emphasis  on  "  thee "  and  the  second  "  I." 
How  illuminating ! 

1  The  sources  of  most  of  the  following  excerpts  are  given  in  order  that  the 
Student  may  refer  to  the  context  when  necessary.  - 


240  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

If  'twere  done  when  'tis  done,  then  'twere  well 
It  were  done  quickly. 

Macbeth,  Act  I.,  Sc.  vii. 


The  above  is  a  fine  illustration  of  the  claim  that  the 
study  of  the  "Central  Idea"  is  essentially  a  logical  pro- 
cess. I  believe  that  any  other  .emphasis  is  puerile,  and 
yet  every  other  emphasis  is  heard  except  this.  Let  us 
look  a  little  closer.  The  passage  beginning  with  this  line 
resolves  itself  into  this :  I  am  hampered  with  doubts  and 
fears ;  I  can  find  no  rest  by  day  or  night  until  I  kill  the 
king  or  resolve  to  abandon  the  attempt.  But  if  I  can  be 
assured  that  there  shall  be  no  after  consequences  here,  I'll 
risk  the  life  to  come.  Hence,  the  following  paraphrase 
is  the  equivalent  of  the  first  line :  If  it  [the  murder]  were 
out  of  people's  minds,  if  it  were  blotted  out  of  recollec- 
tion, consigned  to  oblivion,  when  it  is  committed  [when  I 
do  the  murder],  then  the  sooner  it  is  done  the  better  for 
my  peace  of  mind.  In  a  word,  if  it  is  all  over  when  it  is 
committed,  "  then  'twere  well  it  were  done  quickly."  Many 
purposely  avoid  repeating  the  emphasis  on  "  done "  be- 
cause they  believe  the  two  "dones"  are  identical  in  mean- 
ing. Nothing  could  be  farther  from  the  truth,  as  I  have 
tried  to  show  above.  The  truth  is,  this  line  is  one  of 
those  grim  plays  upon  words  in  which  Shakespeare  is  so 
prolific.  I  need  hardly  add  that  when  properly  read  the 
sense  will  be  made  clear  by  keeping  in  mind  the  para- 
phrase just  given.  The  result  will  be  that  the  first 
"  done  "  will  be  read  with  a  very  decided  falling  inflec- 
tion ("  Momentary  Completeness  "),  and  the  second  with 
a  circumflex  inflection  ("Contrast  with  Incompleteness:" 
the  mind  looking  forward  at  the  end  to  the  conclusion  of 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  241 

the  sentence).  Perhaps  to  the  sensitive  student  of  litera- 
ture there  is  another  argument.  Shakespeare's  vocabu- 
lary would  indeed  have  been  very  limited  if  he  had  found 
it  necessary  to  use  three  "  dones  "  in  the  opening  line  of 
a  most  important  soliloquy.  To  one  who  is  alive  to 
aesthetic  effects,  the  very  fact  that  Shakespeare  does  use 
them  suggests  a  more  careful  analysis,  and  one  soon 
discovers  the  cause.  The  play  on  the  words  makes  the 
salient  idea  more  striking. 

And  flood  upon  flood  hurries  on  never  ending;  and  it 
never  will  rest  nor  from  travail  be  free. 

SCHILLER-LYTTON,  The  Diver. 

MACBETH.     I  dare  do  all  that  may  become  a  man; 
Who  dares  do  more  is  none. 

LADY  MACBETH.  What  beast  was't  then 

That  made  you  break  this  enterprise  to  me  ? 
When  you  durst  do  it,  then  you  were  a  man, 
And,  to  be  more  than  what  you  were,  you  would 
Be  so  much  more  the  man.     Nor  time  nor  place 
Did  then  adhere,  and  yet  you  would  make  both , 
They  have  made  themselves,  and  that  their  fitness  now 

Does  tmmake  you. 

Macbeth,  Act  I.,  Sc.  vii. 

...  it  becomes 
The  throned  MONARCH  better  than  his  CROWN. 

The  Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  IV.,  Sc.  i. 

Why  is  "  better  "  not  the  most  significant  word 

Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 
We  can  make  our  lives  sublime. 

LONGFELLOW,  Psalm  of  Life. 

Why  not  emphasize  "  we  "  ? 

Perchance  to  dream;  ay,  there's  the  rub! 
For  in  that  sleep  of  death  what  dreams  may  come. 

Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  i. 


242  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

"  What "  is  equivalent  to  what  horrible  or  awful 

CASSIUS.     I  may  do  that  I  shall  be  sorry  for. 
BRUTUS.      You  have  done  that  you  should  be  sorry  for. 
Julius  Ccesar,  Act  IV.,  Sc.  iii. 

It  is  the  bright  day  that  brings  forth  the  adder, 
And  that  craves  wary  walking. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  II.,  Sc.  i. 

And,  since  the  quarrel 
Will  bear  no  color  for  the  thing  he  is, 
Fashion  it  thus  ;  that  what  he  is,  AUGMENTED, 
Would  run  to  these  and  these  extremities. 

Ibid. 

This  reading  brings  out  most  clearly  the  rationale  of 
Brutus'  attitude.  The  soliloquy  should  be  studied  in  its 
entirety. 

Give  me  that  man 

That  is  not  passion's  slave,  and  I  will  wear  him 
In  my  heart's  core,  ay,  in  my  HEART  of  heart, 
As  I  do  thee. 

Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii. 

This  example  is  used  in  Fulton  and  Trueblood's  Prac- 
tical Elocution.  The  authors  state,  and  I  think  justly :  - 

"  It  has  been  a  question  with  the  actors  which  word  of  the  phrase 
heart  of  heart  should  receive  the  chief  emphasis,  some  claiming  the 
reading  should  be  '  heart  of  heart,'  others  l  heart  of  heart,'  still  others 
'  heart  of  heart.'  The  first  seems  to  us  the  preferable  reading,  for  if 
the  lines  read,  '  I  will  wear  him  in  my  heart's  core,  ay,  in  the  center 
of  it,'  the  case  would  be  clear.  Here  '  center '  stands  in  the  place 
of  the  first  '  heart.'  " 

She  looked  down  to  blush  and  she  looked  up  to  sigh, 
With  a  smile  on  her  lip  and  a  tear  in  her  eye. 

SCOTT,  Lochinvar. 

There  are  those  who  argue  that  "lip"  and  "eye" 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  243 

should  not  be  emphasized.  This  is  a  serious  error.  The 
phrases  "  on  her  lip"  and  "in  her  eye"  are  elaborative, 
and  hence  the  emphasis  is  distributed  over  the  entire 
phrase.  If  this  is  wrong,  we  must  blame  the  writer  for 
tautology.  But  literature  has  many  similar  examples. 
Here  is  another: — - 

Bring  forth  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him  :  and  put  a  ring  on 

his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet. 

Luke  xv.  22. 

There  is  a  rule  telling  us  to  emphasize  words  in  antith- 
esis. In  many  cases  we  do  so  ;  but  these  cases  would 
emphasize  themselves,  so  to  speak.  There  are,  however, 
many  cases  of  rhetorical  antithesis  where  it  interferes  with 
the  sense  to  emphasize  both  members  of  the  antithesis,  and 
here  the  rule  steps  in  to  lead  astray  the  pupil.  Let  me 
illustrate  :  "  I  am  going  to  town  to-morrow,  but  you  need 
not  go  until  the  day  after"'1 

Mr.  A.  Melville  Bell  has  put  this  very  clearly.  In  his 
Essays  and  Postscripts  on  Elocution,  he  says :  — 

"  The  emphasis  of  contrast  falls  necessarily  on  the  second  of  a 
contrasted  pair  of  words,  but  not  necessarily  on  the  first.  The  first 
word  is  emphatic  or  otherwise,  according  as  it  is  new,  or  implied  in 
preceding  thoughts ;  but  it  is  not  emphatic  in  virtue  of  subsequent 
contrast.  A  purposed  anticipation  may  give  emphasis  to  the  first 
word,  but  such  anticipatory  emphasis  should  not  be  made  habitual." 

"  If  the  bright  blood  that  fills  my  veins,  transmitted  free  from 
godlike  ancestry,  were  like  the  slimy  ooze  which  stagnates  in  your 
arteries,  I  had  remained  at  home." 

Is  it  not  clear  that  anticipatory  emphasis  on  "  my "  is 
not  only  unnecessary,  but  would,  if  given,  weaken  the  force 
of  the  succeeding  phrase  ? 


244  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

"  I  have  nothing  more  to  say,  but  the  honorable  gentleman  will 
no  doubt  speak  for  hours." 

"  What  could  I  do  less  ;  what  could  he  do  more." 

The  following  examples  are  to  be  prepared  by  the  stu- 
dent in  accordance  with  the  plan  previously  outlined:  — 

Enter  TITINIUS,  with  MESSALA. 

MESS  ALA.     It  is  but  change,  Titinius;  for  Octavius 
Is  overthrown  by  noble  Brutus'  power, 
As  Cassius'  legions  are  by  Antony. 

TITINIUS.     These  tidings  will  well  comfort  Cassius. 

MESSALA.     Is  not  that  he  that  lies  upon  the  ground  ? 

TITINIUS.     He  lies  not  like  the  living.     Oh  my  heart! 

MESSALA.     Is  not  that  he  ? 

TITINIUS.  No,  this  was  he,  Messala, 

But  Cassius  is  no  more,  —  O  Setting  Sun ! 
As  in  thy  red  rays  thou  dost  sink  to-night, 
So  in  his  red  blood  Cassius'  day  is  set; 
The  sun  of  Rome  is  set!    Our  day  is  gone; 
Clouds,  dews,  and  dangers  come;   our  deeds  are  done! 
Mistrust  of  my  success  hath  done  this  deed. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  V.,  Sc.  iii. 

"Change"  is  an  example  of  "Contrast  with  Affirma- 
tion." It  is  evident  that  the  speakers  have  been  convers- 
ing about  the  two  parts  of  the  battle,  and  Titinius  has  told 
his  friend  that  Cassius  has  been  overthrown.  To  this 
Messala  replies  comfortingly,  "  Affairs  are  balanced,  then," 
etc.  The  entire  extract  needs  and  will  amply  repay  most 
critical  study.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  one  containing 
more  difficulties. 

BASSANIO.     This  is  no  answer,  thou  unfeeling  man, 
To  excuse  the  current  of  thy  cruelty. 

SHYLOCK.     I  am  not  bound  to  please  thee  with  my  answer. 
BASSANIO.    Do  all  men  kill  the  things  they  do  not  love? 
SHYLOCK.     Hates  any  man  the  thing  he  would  not  kill? 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  245 

BASSAXIO.     Every  offense  is  not  a  hate  at  first. 
SHYLOCK.     What!  wouldst  thou  have  a  serpent  sting  thee  twice  ? 
Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  IV.,  Sc.  i. 

DUNCAN.     Go,  pronounce  his  present l  death, 
And  with  his  former  title  greet  Macbeth. 
Ross.     I'll  see  it  done. 
DUNCAN.     What  he  hath  lost,  noble  Macbeth  hath  won. 

Macbeth,  Act.  I.,  Sc.  ii. 

Thou  shalt  get  kings,  though  thou  be  none. 

Macbeth,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iii. 

MACBETH.     The  thane  of  Cawdor  lives  :  why  do  you  dress  me 
In  borrow' d  robes  ? 

ANGUS.     Who  was  the  thane,  lives  yet. 

Ibid. 

LIGARIUS.     What's  to  do? 

BRUTUS.     A  piece  of  work  that  will  make  sick  men  whole. 
LIGARIUS.     But  are  not  some  whole  that  we  must  make  sick  ? 

Julius  Caesar,  Act.  II.,  Sc.  i. 

When  beggars  die,  there  are  no  comets  seen  ; 

The  heavens  themselves  blaze  forth  the  death  of  princes. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  II.,  Sc.  ii. 

BRUTUS.     He  hath  the  falling  sickness. 
CASSIUS.     ?^o,  Caesar  hath  it  not  ;  but  you  and  I, 
And  honest  Casca,  we  have  the  falling  sickness. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  I.,  Sc.  ii. 

Romans  now 

Have  thews  and  limbs  like  to  their  ancestors, 
But,  woe  the  while!  our  fathers'  minds  are  dead, 
And  we  are  govern' d  by  our  mothers'  spirits. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iii. 

That  you  do  love  me,  I  am  nothing  jealous; 
What  you  would  work  me  to,  I  have  some  aim; 
How  I  have  thought  of  this,  and  of  these  times, 
I  shall  recount  hereafter;  for  this  present, 
I  would  not,  so  with  love  I  might  entreat  you, 
Be  any  further  mov'd.     What  you  have  said, 
I  will  consider;  what  you  have  to  say, 

1  I.e.,  instant. 


246  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

I  will  with  patience  hear,  and  find  a  time 
Both  meet  to  hear,  and  answer  such  high  things. 

Julius  Cce.sar,  Act  L,  Sc.  ii. 

Cowards  die  many  times  before  their  deaths; 
The  valiant  never  taste  of  death  but  once. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  II.,  Sc.  ii. 

FLAVIUS.     Thou  art  a  cobbler,  art  thou  ? 

CITIZKN.     Truly,  sir,  all  that  I  live  by  is  with  the  awl. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  I.,  Sc.  i. 

SIR  PETER.  Very  well,  ma'am,  very  well !  So  a  husband  is  to 
have  no  influence  —  no  authority ! 

LADY  TEAZLE.  Authority  ?  No,  to  be  sure  !  If  you  wanted 
authority  over  me,  you  should  have  adopted  me,  and  not  married 
me;  I  am  sure  you  were  old  enough!  —  SHERIDAN,  The  School  for 
Scandal. 

We  live  in  deeds,  not  years;  in  thought,  not  breath; 
In  feelings,  not  in  figures  on  a  dial; 
We  should  count  time  by  heart-throbs.     He  most  lives, 
Who  thinks  most,  feels  the  noblest,  acts  the  best. 

BAILEY,  Festus. 

"I  must  be  cruel,  only  to  be  kind; 
Thus  bad  begins,  and  worse  remains  behind." 

"Our  new  heraldry  is  —  hands,  not  hearts." 

"  He  jests  at  scars  that  never  felt  a  wound." 

"  Friendship  was  in  their  looks,  but  in  their  hearts  there  was 
hatred." 

"  Oh  !  the  blood  more  stirs 
To  rouse  a  lion  than  to  start  a  hare." 

"  You  will  find  it  less  easy  to  uproot  faults  than  choke  them  by 
gaining  virtues." 

"  A  maiden's  wrath  has  two  eyes  —  one  blind,  the  other  keener 
than  a  falcon's." 

"  The  storm  that  rends  the  oak  uproots  the  flower." 
"  But  break,  my  heart,  for  I  must  hold  my  tongue." 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  247 

"  They  follow  an  adventurer  whom  they  fear,  and  obey  a  power 
which  they  hate  ;  we  serve  a  monarch  whom  we  love,  a  God  whom 
we  adore." 

"I  feel  the  impulse  —  yet  I  do  not  plunge, 
>  I  see  the  peril  —  yet  do  not  recede ; 

And  my  brain  reels  —  and  yet  my  foot  is  firm.'1 

"  It  was  midnight  when  I  listened, 
And  I  heard  two  voices  speak; 
One  was  harsh,  and  stern,  and  cruel, 
And  the  other  soft  and  weak." 

Subordination.  —  The  analysis  for  determining  the 
Central  Idea  must  have  led  the  student  to  discern  subor- 
dinate ideas.  As  a  rule,  the  reading  of  these  will  not  be 
difficult,  but  there  are  certain  phases  of  subordination  that 
require  special  study. 

We  shall  now  examine  extracts  in  which  the  main 
current  of  thought  is  interrupted  by  phrases,  clauses,  and 
exclamations  of  more  or  less  importance.  These  interrup- 
tions are  by  no  means  to  be  classed  as  unnecessary.  Their 
value  must  be  determined  in  each  case  by  the  student. 
There  may  be  coordinate  clauses,  ejaculations,  and  paren- 
theses ;  but  it  is  useless,  as  well  as  misleading,  to  set  down 
any  definite  method  as  to  the  manner  in  which  these  shall 
be  read.  We  are  all  acquainted  with  the  time-honored 
advice  concerning  the  manner  in  which  one  should  read 
words  in  parentheses :  Lower  the  voice  and  read  faster. 
It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  the  average  parenthetical 
thought  is  expressed  in  that  way,  but  there  are  many 
examples  where  the  injunction  will  not  apply.  Hence 
it  is  better  to  pay  no  attention  to  this  rule. 

The  main  result  to  be  obtained  in  this  chapter  is  the 
training  of  the  student's  mind  in  apprehending  thought- 
modulation  ;  to  enable  him  to  weigh  the  thought  in  order 


248  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

that  he  may  perceive  more  clearly  the  relative  values  of 
the  various  phrases.  This  perception  leads  in  expression 
to  that  most  desirable  phase  of  utterance,  —  modulation. 

"  In  what  school  did  the  worthies  of  our  land  —  the  Washing- 
tons,  Henrys,  Franklins,  Rutledges  —  learn  those  principles  of  civil 
liberty?" 

"  Next  to  the  worship  of  the  Father  of  us  all  —  the  deepest  and 
grandest  of  human  emotions  —  is  the  love  of  the  land  that  gave  us 
birth." 

"  I  am  not  —  I  need  scarcely  say  it  —  the  panegyrist  of  England." 

"  I  have  returned,  —  not,  as  the  right  honorable  member  has  said, 
to  raise  a  storm,  —  I  have  returned  to  discharge  an  honorable  debt 
of  gratitude  to  my  country." 

"  May  that  God  (I  do  not  take  his  name  in  vain),  may  that  God 
forbid  it." 

"One  day  —  shall  I  forget  it  ever?  —  ye  were  present  —  I  had 
fought  long  and  well." 

"  I  was  about  to  slay  him,  when  a  few  hurried  words  —  rather  a 
welcome  to  death  than  a  plea  for  life  —  told  me  he  was  a  Thracian." 

"  One  raw  morning  in  spring  —  it  will  be  eighty  years  the  19th 
of  this  month  —  Hancock  and  Adams  were  both  at  Lexington." 

"  And  are  we  to  speak  and  act  like  men  who  have  sustained  no 
wrong  ?  We  !  Six  millions  of  —  what  shall  I  say  ?  —  citizens  ?  " 

"  Among  the  exploits  of  marvelous  and  almost  legendary  valor 
performed  by  that  great  English  chieftain  —  who  has  been  laid  aside 
uncoroneted,  and  almost  unhonored  because  he  would  promote  and 
distinguish  the  men  of  work  in  preference  to  the  men  of  idleness  — 
among  his  achievements  not  the  least  wondrous  was  the  subjugation 
of  the  robber  tribes  of  the  Cutchee  Hills  in  the  north  of  Scinde." 

"  But  if  there  is  one  man  here  —  I  am  speaking  not  of  shapes 
and  forms,  but  of  feelings  —  if  there  is  one  here  that  feels  as  men 
were  wont  to  feel,  he  will  draw  the  sword." 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  249 

"And  you  —  you,  who  are  eight  millions  strong  —  you,  who 
boast  at  every  meeting  that  this  island  is  the  finest  which  the  sun 
looks  down  upon  —  you,  who  have  no  threatening  sea  to  stem,  no 
avalanche  to  dread  —  you,  who  say  that  you  could  shield  along  your 
coast  a  thousand  sail,  and  be  the  princes  of  a  mighty  commerce  — 
you,  who  by  the  magic  of  an  honest  hand,  beneath  each  summer  sky, 
might  cull  a  plenteous  harvest  from  your  soil,  and  with  the  sickle 
strike  away  the  scythe  of  death  —  you,  who  have  no  vulgar  history 
to  read  —  you,  who  can  trace,  from  field  to  field,  the  evidences  of 
civilization  older  than  the  Conquest  —  the  relics  of  a  religion  far 
more  ancient  than  the  Gospel  —  you,  who  have  thus  been  blessed, 
thus  been  gifted,  thus  been  prompted  to  what  is  wise  and  generous 
and  great  —  you  will  make  no  effort  —  you  will  perish  by  the  thou- 
sand, and  the  finest  island  that  the  sun  looks  down  upon,  amid  the 
jeers  and  hooting  of  the  world,  will  blacken  into  a  plague  spot,  a 
wilderness,  a  sepulcher." 

"  In  his  early  manhood,  at  the  bidding  of  conscience,  against  the 
advice  of  his  dearest  friends,  in  opposition  to  stern  paternal  com- 
mands, against  every  dictate  of  worldly  wisdom  and  human  prudence, 
in  spite  of  all  the  dazzling  temptations  of  ambition  so  alluring  to  the 
heart  of  a  young  man,  he  turned  away  from  the  broad  fair  highway 
to  wrealth,  position,  and  distinction,  that  the  hands  of  a  king  opened 
before  him,  and,  casting  his  lot  with  the  sect  weakest  and  most  un- 
popular in  England,  through  paths  that  were  tangled  with  trouble, 
and  lined  with  pitiless  thorns  of  persecution,  he  walked  into  honor 
and  fame,  and  the  reverence  of  the  world,  such  as  royalty  could  not 
promise  and  could  not  give  him." 

"  No  one  venerates  the  Peerage  more  than  I  do  ;  but,  my  Lords, 
I  must  say  that  the  Peerage  solicited  me,  —  not  I  the  Peerage.  Nay, 
more,  —  I  can  say,  and  will  say,  that,  as  a  Peer  of  Parliament,  as 
Speaker  of  this  right  honorable  House,  as  keeper  of  the  great  seal,  as 
guardian  of  his  Majesty's  conscience,  as  Lord  High  Chancellor  of 
England,  —  nay,  even  in  that  character  alone  in  which  the  noble 
Duke  would  think  it  an  affront  to  be  considered,  but  which  charac- 
ter none  can  deny  me,  as  a  MAN,  —  T  am  at  this  moment  as  respec- 
table—  I  beg  leave  to  add  —  I  am  as  much  respected,  —  as  the 
proudest  Peer  I  now  look  down  upon." 


250 


MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 


"  Hear  the  parable  of  the  Sibyl,  for  it  conveys  a  wise  and  whole- 
some moral.  She  now  appears  at  your  gate,  and  offers  you  mildly 
the  volumes  —  the  precious  volumes  —  of  wisdom  and  peace.  The 
price  she  asks  is  reasonable ;  to  restore  the  franchise,  which,  with- 
out any  bargain,  you  ought  voluntarily  to  give.  You  refuse  her 
terms  —  her  moderate  terms  —  she  darkens  the  porch  no  longer. 
But  soon  —  for  you  cannot  do  without  her  wares  —  you  call  her  back. 
Again  she  comes,  but  with  diminished  treasures ;  the  leaves  of  the 
book  are  in  part  torn  away  by  lawless  hands,  in  part  defaced  with 
characters  of  blood." 

"  Fresh  as  the  flower,  whose  modest  worth 
He  sang,  his  genius  '  glinted '  forth, 
Rose  like  a  star  that  touching  earth, 

For  so  it  seems, 
Doth  glorify  its  humble  birth 
With  matchless  beams." 

"The  piercing  eye,  the  thoughtful  brow, 
The  struggling  heart,  where  be  they  now  ? 
Full  soon  the  aspirant  of  the  plow, 

The  prompt,  the  brave, 
Slept,  with  the  obscurest,  in  the  low 
And  silent  grave." 

"True  friends  though  diversely  inclined; 
But  heart  with  heart  and  mind  with  mind, 
Where  the  main  fibers  are  entwined, 

Through  Nature's  skill. 
May  even  by  contraries  be  joined 
More  closely  still." 

"  The  tear  will  start,  and  let  it  flow  ; 
Thou  'poor  Inhabitant  below,' 
At  this  dread  moment,  —  even  so  — 

Might  we  together 

Have  sate  and  talked  where  gowans  blow, 
Or  on  wild  heather." 

"  Sighing  I  turned  away  ;  but  ere 
Night  fell,  I  heard,  or  seemed  to  hear, 
Music  that  sorrow  comes  not  near, 
A  ritual  hymn, 


STUDIES  IN  DISCRIMINATION.  251 

Chanted  in  love  that  casts  out  fear 
By  Seraphim." 

"Too  frail  to  keep  the  lofty  vow 
That  must  have  followed  when  his  brow 
Was  wreathed  —  '  The  Vision '  tells  us  how  — 

With  holly  spray, 
He  faltered,  drifted  to  and  fro, 

And  passed  away." 

"For  as  victory  was  nighest, 

While  I  sang  and  played,— 
With  my  lyre  at  lowest,  highest, 

Right  alike,  —  one  string  that  made 
*  Love '  sound  soft  was  snapt  in  twain 
Never  to  be  heard  again." 

Would  that  the  structure  brave,  the  manifold  music  I  build, 

Bidding  my  organ  obey,  calling  its  keys  to  their  work, 
Claiming  each  slave  of  the  sound,  at  a  touch,  as  when  Solomon  willed 

Armies  of  angels  that  soar,  legions  of  demons  that  lurk, 
Man,  brute,  reptile,  fly,  — alien  of  end  and  of  aim, 

Adverse,  each  from  the  other  heaven-high,  hell-deep  removed,  — 
Should  rush  into  sight  at  once  as  he  named  the  ineffable  Name, 

And  pile  him  a  palace  straight,  to  pleasure  the  princess  he  loved ! 

BROWNING,  Abt  Vogler. 

And  as  a  hungry  lion  who  has  made 
A  prey  of  some  large  beast  —  a  horned  stag 
Or  mountain  goat  —  rejoices,  and  with  speed 
Devours  it,  though  swift  hounds  and  sturdy  youths 
Press  on  his  flank,  so  Menelaus  felt 
Great  joy  when  Paris,  of  the  godlike  form, 
Appeared  in  sight,  for  now  he  thought  to  wreak 
His  vengeance  on  the  guilty  one,  and  straight 
Sprang  from  his  car  to  earth  with  all  his  arms. 

The  Iliad. 

In  the  illustrations  that  follow,  the  student  will  note 
three  distinct  degrees  of  importance  of  thought ;  in  other 
words,  there  is  the  main  idea,  its  modifier,  and  the  modi- 
fier of  the  modifier.  The  vocal  expression  of  these  illus- 
trations will  be  modulated  just  to  the  extent  the  student 
appreciates  the  value  of  the  different  phrases. 


252  MENTA  L  *f£CimiQ  UE^ 

**f.  •* 

"  At  Atri  in  Abruzzo,  a  small  town 
Of  ancient  Roman  date,  but  scant  renown, 
One  of  those  little  places  that  have  run 
Half  up  the  hill,  beneath  a  blazing  sun, 
And  then  sat  down  to  rest,  as  if  to  say, 
'I  climb  no  farther  upward,  come  what  may,' 
The  Re  Giovanni,  now  unknown  to  fame, 
So  many  monarchs  since  have  borne  the  name, 
Had  a  great  bell  hung  in  the  market-place." 

"It  is  my  purpose,  therefore,  believing  that  there  are  certain 
points  of  superiority  in  modern  artists,  and  especially  in  one  or  two 
of  their  number,  which  have  not  yet  been  fully  understood,  except 
by  those  who  are  scarcely  in  a  position  admitting  the  declaration  of 
their  conviction,  to  institute  a  close  comparison  between  the  great 
works  of  ancient  and  modern  'landscape  art." 

Many  students  who  find  no  difficulty  while  silently 
reading  such  extracts  as  the  above,  will  often  fail  in  their 
vocal  expression  because  of  the  fact  that  the  latter  is 
more  deliberate,  and  consequently  they  may  lose  the  trend 
of  the  main  thought  while  rendering  the  explanatory  and 
parenthetical  portions.  To  overcome  this  difficulty  they 
are  advised  to  read  the  sentence,  omitting  all  but  the  most 
essential  idea ;  then  let  them  add  one  idea  after  another  to 
the  main  idea,  until  the  sentence  is  read  correctly  in  its 
entirety.  In  the  last  example  quoted,  the  main  idea  is, 
"It  is  my  purpose  ...  to  institute  a  close  comparison 
between  the  great  works  of  ancient  and  modern  landscape 
art."  Read  this  three  or  four  times,  until  the  idea  is 
clearly  apprehended.  Now  read  the  sentence,  omitting 
"and  especially  in  one. or  two  of  their  number,"  until  this 
larger  thought  is  grasped;  after  which  let  the  sentence 
be  read  as  a  whole. 


CHAPTER   III. 

STUDIES   IN   EMOTION. 

Earnestness.  —  In  the  F  xamples  under  this  head,  only 
those  are  chosen  in  which  the  student  is  not  called  upon 
to  go  very  far  out  of  his  own  personal  experience.  In 
other  words,  he  is  not  called  upon  to  do  much  persona- 
tion. He  can  very  easily  grasp  the  situation ;  and  hence 
his  task  is  simpler  than  if  he  were  asked  to  represent 
more  complex  emotions,  which  would  at  once  greatly  in- 
crease the  difficulty,  and  perhaps  discourage  him.  He 
should  learn  two  or  three  selections  by^  heart,  and  recite 
them  frequently,  until  a  certain  degree  of  directness,  vi- 
tality, earnestness,  and  freedom  is  acquired.  Until  that 
point  is  reached,  he  should  not  proceed  with  the  more 
complex  emotions. 

Sir,  it  matters  very  little  what  immediate  spot  may  have  been 
the  birthplace  of  such  a  man  as  Washington.  No  people  can  claim, 
no  country  can  appropriate  him.  The  boon  of  Providence  to  the 
human  race,  his  fame  is  eternity,  and  his  residence  creation.  Though 
it  was  the  defeat  of  our  arms,  and  the  disgrace  of  our  policy,  I  almost 
bless  the  convulsion  in  which  he  had  his  origin.  If  the  heavens  thun- 
dered and  the  earth  rocked,  yet,  when  the  storm  had  past,  how  pure 
was  the  climate  that  it  cleared !  how  bright  in  the  brow  of  the  fir- 
mament was  the  planet  which  it  revealed  to  us!  —  CHARLES  PHIL- 
LIPS, The  Character  of  Washington. 

I  am  amazed  at  the  attack  which  the  noble  Duke  has  made  on 
me.  Yes,  my  Lords,  I  am  amazed  at  his  Grace's  speech.  The  noble 

253 


254  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

Duke  cannot  look  before  him,  behind  him,  or  on  either  side  of  him, 
without  seeing  some  noble  Peer  who  owes  his  seat  in  this  House  to 
his  successful  exertions  in  the  profession  to  which  I  belong.  Does 
he  not  feel  that  it  is  as  honorable  to  owe  it  to  these,  as  to  being  the 
accident  of  an  accident?  To  all  these  noble  Lords  the  language  of 
the  noble  Duke  is  as  applicable,  and  as  insulting,  as  it  is  to  myself. 
But  I  do  not  fear  to  meet  it  single  and  alone LORD  THURLOW. 

They  tell  us,  sir,  that  we  are  weak,  —  unable  to  cope  with  so  for- 
midable an  adversary.  But  when  shall  we  be  stronger?  Will  it  be 
the  next  week,  or  the  next  year  ?  Will  it  be  when  we  are  totally  dis- 
armed, and  when  a  British  guard  shall  be  stationed  in  every  house  ? 
Shall  we  gather  strength  by  irresolution  and  inaction?  Shall  we 
acquire  the  means  of  effectual  resistance  by  lying  supinely  on  our 
backs,  and  hugging  the  delusive  phantom  of  hope,  until  our  enemies 
shall  have  bound  us  hand  and  foot?  Sir,  we  are  not  weak,  if  we 
make  a  proper  use  of  those  means  which  the  God  of  nature  hath 
placed  in  our  power. 

Three  millions  of  people,  armed  in  the  holy  cause  of  liberty,  and 
in  such  a  country  as  that  which  we  possess,  are  invincible  by  any  force 
which  our  enemy  can  send  against  us.  Besides,  sir,  we  shall  not  fight 
our  battles  alone.  There  is  a  just  God  who  presides  over  the  desti- 
nies of  nations,  and  who  will  raise  up  friends  to  fight  our  battles  for 
us.  The  battle,  sir,  is  not  to  the  strong  alone ;  it  is  to  the  vigilant, 
the  active,  the  brave.  Besides,  sir,  we  have  no  election.  If  we  were 
base  enough  to  desire  it,  it  is  now  too  late  to  retire  from  the  contest. 
There  is  no  retreat  but  in  submission  and  slavery !  Our  chains  are 
forged.  Their  clanking  may  be  heard  on  the  plains  of  Boston  !  The 
war  is  inevitable  ;  and  let  it  come  !  I  repeat  it,  sir,  let  it  come  ! 

It  is  in  vain,  sir,  to  extenuate  the  matter.  Gentlemen  may  cry, 
peace,  peace  !  —  but  there  is  no  peace.  The  war  is  actually  begun  ! 
The  next  gale  that  sweeps  from  the  North  will  bring  to  our  ears  the 
clash  of  resounding  arms !  Our  brethren  are  already  in  the  field ! 
Why  stand  we  here  idle?  What  is  it  that  gentlemen  wish?  What 
would  they  have?  Is  life  so  dear  or  peace  so  sweet  as  to  be  pur- 
chased at  the  price  of  chains  and  slavery  ?  Forbid  it,  Almighty  God  ! 
I  know  not  what  course  others  may  take ;  but  as  for  me,  give  me 
liberty,  or  give  me  death!  — PATRICK  HENRY. 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  255 

One  raw  morning  in  spring  —  it  will  be  eighty  years  the  19th 
day  of  this  month  —  Hancock  and  Adams,  the  Moses  and  Aaron  of 
that  Great  Deliverance,  were  both  at  Lexington;  they  also  had 
"  obstructed  an  officer  "  with  brave  words.  British  soldiers,  a  thou- 
sand strong,  came  to  seize  them  and  carry  them  over  sea  for  trial, 
and  so  nip  the  bud  of  freedom  auspiciously  opening  in  that  early 
spring.  The  town  militia  came  together  before  daylight,  "  for  train- 
ing." A  great,  tall  man,  with  a  large  head  and  a  high,  wide  brow, 
their  captain,  —  one  who  had  "  seen  service,"  —  marshaled  them 
into  line,  numbering  but  seventy,  and  bade  "  every  man  load  his 
piece  with  powder  and  ball.  I  will  order  the  first  man  shot  that 
runs  away,"  said  he,  when  some  faltered.  "  Don't  fire  unless  fired 
upon,  but  if  they  want  to  have  a  war,  let  it  begin  here." 

Gentlemen,  you  know  what  followed;  those  farmers  and  me- 
chanics "  fired  the  shot  heard  round  the  world."  A  little  monument 
covers  the  bones  of  such  as  before  had  pledged  their  fortune  and 
their  sacred  honor  to  the  Freedom  of  America,  and  that  day  gave  it 
also  their  lives.  I  was  born  in  that  little  town,  and  bred  up  amid 
the  memories  of  that  day.  When  a  boy,  my  mother  lifted  me  up, 
one  Sunday,  in  her  religious,  patriotic  arms,  and  held  me  while  I 
read  the  first  monumental  line  I  ever  saw  —  "  Sacred  to  Liberty  and 
the  Rights  of  Mankind." 

Since  then  I  have  studied  the  memorial  marbles  of  Greece  and 
Rome,  in  many  an  ancient  town ;  nay,  on  Egyptian  obelisks,  have 
read  what  was  written  before  the  Eternal  roused  up  Moses  to  lead 
Israel  out  of  Egypt;  but  no  chiseled  stone  has  ever  stirred  me  to 
such  emotion  as  these  rustic  names  of  men  who  fell  "  In  the  Sacred 
Cause  of  God  and  their  Country." 

Gentlemen,  the  Spirit  of  Liberty,  the  Love  of  Justice,  was  early 
fanned  into  a  flame  in  my  boyish  heart.  That  monument  covers 
the  bones  of  my  own  kinsfolk ;  it  was  their  blood  which  reddened 
the  long,  green  grass  at  Lexington.  It  was  my  own  name  which 
stands  chiseled  on  that  stone ;  the  tall  Captain  who  marshaled  his 
fellow  farmers  and  mechanics  into  stern  array,  and  spoke  such  brave 
and  dangerous  words  as  opened  the  war  of  American  Independence, 
—  the  last  to  leave  the  field,  —  was  my  father's  father.  I  learned  to 
read  out  of  his  Bible,  and  with  a  musket  he  that  day  captured  from 
the  foe  I  learned  also  another  religious  lesson,  that  "  Rebellion  to 


256  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Tyrants  is  Obedience  to  God."  I  keep  them  both,  "  Sacred  to  Lib- 
erty and  the  Rights  of  Mankind,"  to  use  them  both,  "In  the  Sacred 
Cause  of  God  and  my  Country."  —  THEODORE  PARKER. 

Hamelin  Town's  in  Brunswick, 

By  famous  Hanover  city; 

The  river  Weser,  deep  and  wide, 

Washes  its  walls  on  the  southern  side; 

A  pleasanter  spot  you  never  spied; 

But,  when  begins  my  ditty, 

Almost  five  hundred  years  ago, 

To  see  the  townfolk  suffer  so 

From  vermin,  was  a  pity. 

Rats! 

They  fought  the  dogs,  and  killed  the  cats, 

And  bit  the  babies  in  the  cradles, 

And  ate  the  cheese  out  of  the  vats, 

And  licked  the  soup  from  the  cook's  own  ladles, 

Split  open  the  kegs  of  salted  sprats, 

Made  nests  inside  men's  Sunday  hats, 

And  even  spoiled  the  women's  chats, 

By  drowning  their  speaking 

With  shrieking  and  squeaking 

In  fifty  different  sharps  and  flats. 

BROWNING,  The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin. 

Those  evening  bells  —  those  evening  bells  — 
How  many  a  tale  their  music  tells 
Of  youth,  and  home,  and  that  sweet  time 
When  last  I  heard  their  soothing  chime. 

Those  joyous  hours  are  passed  away, 
And  many  a  heart,  that  then  was  gay, 
Within  the  tomb  now  darkly  dwells, 
And  hears  no  more  those  evening  bells. 

And  so  'twill  be  when  I  am  gone; 
That  tuneful  peal  will  still  ring  on, 
While  other  bards  shall  walk  these  'dells, 
And  sing  your  praise,  sweet  evening  bells. 

MOORE. 

Oh!  young  Lochinvar  is  come  out  of  the  West! 

Through  all  the  wide  Border  his  steed  was  the  bf»%t- 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  257 

And  save  his  good  broadsword  he  weapon  had  none; 
He  rode  all  unarmed  and  he  rode  all  alone. 
So  faithful  in  love,  and  so  dauntless  in  war, 
There  never  was  knight  like  the  young  Lochinvar. 

SCOTT. 

When  Freedom  from  her  mountain  height 

Unfurled  her  standard  to  the  air, 
She  tore  the  azure  robe  of  night, 

And  set  the  stars  of  glory  there: 
She  mingled  with  its  gorgeous  dies 
The  milky  baldric  of  the  skies, 
And  striped  its  pure  celestial  white 
With  streakings  of  the  morning  light; 
Then,  from  his  mansion  in  the  sun, 
She  called  her  eagle-bearer  down, 
And  gave  into  his  mighty  hand 
The  symbol  of  her  chosen  land. 

DBAKE. 

Hurrah!  the  foes  are  moving  !     Hark  to  the  mingled  din 
Of  fife,  and  steed,  and  trump,  and  drum,  and  roaring  culverin! 
The  fiery  Duke  is  pricking  fast  across  Saint  Andre's  plain, 
With  all  the  hireling  chivalry  of  Guelders  and  Almayne. 
Now,  by  the  lips  of  those  ye  love,  fair  gentlemen  of  France, 
Charge  for  the  golden  lilies  now,  —  upon  them  with  the  lance ! 
A  thousand  spurs  are  striking  deep,  a  thousand  spears  in  rest, 
A  thousand  knights  are  pressing  close  behind  the  snow-white  crest, 
And  in  they  burst,  and  on  they  rushed,  while,  like  a  guiding  star, 
Amidst  the  thickest  carnage  blazed  the  helmet  of  Navarre. 

MACAULAY,  The  Battle  of  Imy. 

John  Day,  he  was  the  biggest  man 

Of  all  the  coachman  kind, 
With  back  too  broad  to  be  conceived 

By  any  narrow  mind. 

The  very  horses  knew  his  weight, 

When  he  was  in  the  rear, 
And  wished  his  box  a  Christmas-box, 

To  come  but  once  a  year. 

Alas!  against  the  shafts  of  love 
What  armor  can  avail  ? 


258  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Soon  Cupid  sent  an  arrow  through 
His  scarlet  coat  of  mail. 

The  barmaid  of  "  The  Crown  "  he  loved, 
From  whom  he  never  ranged; 

For,  though  he  changed  his  horses  there, 
His  love  he  never  changed. 

One  day,  as  she  was  sitting  down 
Beside  the  porter  pump, 

He  came  and  knelt,  with  all  his  fat, 
And  made  an  offer  plump. 

Said  she,  "My  taste  will  never  learn 
To  like  so  huge  a  man; 

So  I  must  beg  you  will  come  here 
As  little  as  you  can." 

But  still  he  stoutly  urged  his  suit, 
With  vows,  and  sighs,  and  tears, 

Yet  could  not  pierce  her  heart,  although 
He  drove  the  "Dart"  for  years. 

In  vain  he  wooed — in  vain  he  sued, — 
The  maid  was  cold  and  proud, 

And  sent  him  off  to  Coventry 
While  on  the  way  to  Stroud. 

He  fretted  all  the  way  to  Stroud, 
And  thence  all  back  to  town; 

The  course  of  love  was  never  smooth, 
So  his  went  up  and  down. 

At  last,  her  coldness  made  him  pine 
To  merely  bones  and  skin; 

But  still  he  loved  like  one  resolved 
To  love  through  thick  and  thin 

"Oh,  Mary!  view  my  wasted  back. 

And  see  my  dwindled  calf! 
Though  I  have  never  had  a  wife, 

I've  lost  my  better  half  ! " 

Alas!  in  vain  he  still  assailed, 

Her  heart  withstood  the  dint ; 

Though  he  had  carried  sixteen  stone, 
He  could  not  move  a  flint! 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  259 

Worn  out,  at  last  he  made  a  vow, 

To  break  his  being's  link, 
For  he  was  so  reduced  in  size, 

At  nothing  he  could  shrink. 

Now,  some  will  talk  in  water's  praise, 

And  waste  a  deal  of  breath; 
But  John,  though  he  drank  .nothing  else, 

He  drank  himself  to  death. 

The  cruel  maid,  that  caused  his  love, 

Found  out  the  fatal  close, 
For  looking  in  the  butt  she  saw 

The  butt  end  of  his  woes. 

Some  say  his  spirit  haunts  "The  Crown," 

But  that  is  only  talk  ; 
For  after  riding  all  his  life, 

His  ghost  objects  to  walk. 

THOMAS  HOOD,  The  History  of  John  Day. 


Personation.  —  We  have  so  far  been  considering  that 
form  of  emotion  which  we  may  term  Earnestness.  The 
aim  of  the  practice  on  the  previous  selections  has  been 
simply  to  charge  the  student  with  the  necessity  of  im- 
pressing his  thought  upon  the  audience.  The  emotions  in 
these  selections  were  chiefly  simple  as  far  as  that  term 
can  be  applied  to  any  form  of  emotion.  Perhaps  a  better 
expression  than  simple  emotion  would  be  single  emotion. 
We  are  now  to  enter  the  more  complex  realm  of  expres- 
sion, wherein  the  emotion  is  more  intense,  and  instead  of 
being  a  single  emotion,  is  a  blend  of  many.  Take,  for  ex- 
ample, the  trial  scene  from  The  Merchant  of  Venice.  There 
are  many  speeches  of  Shylock  that  might  illustrate  our 
point,  and  we  shall  take  the  first  that  presents  itself.  The 
Duke  of  Venice  has  been  urging  Shylock  to  abandon  his 
suit,  whereupon  the  latter  replies,  — 


260  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

"I  have  possessed  your  grace  of  what  I  purpose; 
And  by  our  holy  Sabbath  have  I  sworn, 
To  have  the  due  and  forfeit  of  my  bond." 

What  emotions  does  Shylock  portray  ?  There  is  the  emo- 
tion of  hatred  of  Antonio ;  the  feeling  of  obstinacy ;  and 
there  is,  further,  the  sense  of  wrong  that  has  been  heaped 
upon  his  race  in  general,  and  himself  in  particular.  It 
would  be  useless  to  discuss  how  far  each  of  these  elements 
is  an  emotion.  It  is  sufficient  for  our  purpose  to  have 
shown  that  these  three  mental  conditions  are  present  vir- 
tually at  one  time  in  the  brain  of  the  speaker.  Now,  if 
any  one  of  these  elements  (to  say  nothing  of  others  that 
might  be  mentioned)  is  omitted,  the  characterization  will 
lack  truthfulness. 

There  is  another  element  in  complexity  of  expression 
that  needs  a  moment's  attention.  The  emotion  itself  may 
be  a  simple  one,  but  the  character  we  aim  to  represent  may 
be  so  far  removed  from  our  own  that  one  must  assume  or 
take  on  many  attributes.  For  instance,  if  one  were  por- 
traying old  Adam  in  As  You  Like  It,  he  would  be  com- 
pelled to  manifest  the  weakness  of  old  age  in  body  and 
voice.  Now,  when  the  old  man  says,  "  Dear  master,  I 
can  go  no  further;  O,  I  die  for  food,"  it  is  not  sufficient 
for  the  reader  to  portray  simply  the  pathos  of  the  line,  but 
his  expression  becomes  more  complex  in  so  far  as  it  must 
manifest  both  the  pathos  and  the  weakness. 

We  have  now  to  make  clear  what  we  mean  by  com- 
plexity in  emotion.  The  latter  word  is  here  used  to  des- 
ignate not  merely  several  emotions  blended  together,  but; 
also  a  simple  emotion  as  it  would  be  expressed  by  the  par- 
ticular individual. 

It  may  be   asked  whether  there   is  a  place   for  such 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  261 

discussion  as  this  in  a  book  intended  mainly  for  the  devel- 
opment of  public  speakers.  A  little  reflection  will  dem- 
onstrate that  the  public  speaker  has  much  need  of  powers 
of  personation.  Almost  any  typical  oration  contains  quo- 
tations from  literature  which  call  for  ability  along  the  lines 
above  mentioned,  to  say  nothing  of  anecdotes  and  stories. 
Furthermore,  no  one  can  effectively  read  the  Bible  with- 
out more  or  less  power  in  this  direction.  Perhaps  the 
most  potent  reason  of  all  is  the  psychological  one :  The 
practice  of  personating  the  great  characters  of  literature 
reacts  upon  the  mind  of  the  student,  and  thereby  leads  him 
to  a  higher  plane  of  thought  and  feeling.  If  it  is  urged 
as  an  objection  against  this  argument  that  the  baser  emo- 
tions are  equally  likely  to  react,  the  reply  is  that  the  stu- 
dent can  and  does  exercise  his  choice  in  the  matter,  and 
can  reject  any  influence  that  he  fears  may  be  detrimental 
to  his  character. 

In  preparing  to  present  the  emotions  in  the  following 
extracts  it  is  well  for  the  student  to  study  carefully  the 
nature  of  the  thought,  the  emotion,  and  the  character 
separately,  and  conceive  of  each  of  the  simpler  emotional 
elements  by  itself.  If  he  is  representing,  let  us  say,  pathos 
and  dignity,  let  him  hold  dignity  before  his  mind  until  the 
whole  being  responds ;  then  let  him  conceive  pathos  by 
itself,  and,  finally,  let  him  conceive  pathos  and  dignity, 
and  endeavor  to  present  them.  This  process  will  not  be 
necessary  in  all  cases ;  for  there  are  those  who  can  con- 
ceive these  more  complex  conditions  with  one  effort,  as  it 
were.  But  unless  the  student  has  this  ability  the  preced- 
ing process  should  be  followed.  And  even  when  a  student 
has  the  necessary  ability  to  conceive  the  complete  expres- 
sion at  once,  he  is  very  likely  to  lose  some  of  what  might 


262  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

be  called  the  ingredients  of  a  composite  emotion.  For  in- 
stance, in  representing  the  strong  language  of  one  who 
might  be  said  never  to  lose  his  anger,  the  student  who  is 
particularly  choleric  by  nature  is  very  likely  to  forget  the 
-dignity.  He  may  be  reminded  of  his  error  by  recalling 
dignity  to  his  mind,  and  at  once  the  natural  temperament 
of  the  speaker  will  be  modified  by  the  new  stimulus. 

In  closing,  it  might  be  well  to  consider  another  reason 
for  the  practice  of  these  illustrations.  Many  students  are 
temperamentally  restricted  and  shy,  and  others  have  be- 
come so  through  training  and  environment.  Before  these 
can  hope  to  become  effective  public  speakers,  there  must  be 
a  certain  amount  of  genuine  abandon.  Hence,  even  if  a 
student  may  never  have  any  use  for  the  ability  to  imper- 
sonate, the  practice  here  recommended  will  prove  to  be 
one  of  the  best,  surest,  and  quickest  methods  of  bring- 
ing him  out  of  himself.  The  abandon  thus  gained  will 
stand  him  in  good  stead  in  any  effort  he  may  be  called 
upon  to  make  as  a  public  speaker. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  niceties  of  form  are  not 
to  be  expected  for  a  long  time.  If  the  student's  aban- 
don is  developed,  that  is  all  that  should  be  expected. 

In  the  following  speech  the  student  must  never  forget 
that  Othello  is  a  warrior,  one  accustomed  to  command, 
and  of  large  heart.  His  dignity,  therefore,  must  be  mani- 
fest throughout  the  address. 


Most  potent,  grave,  and  reverend  signiors, 

My  very  noble  and  approv'd  good  masters,  — 

That  I  have  ta'en  away  this  old  man's  daughter, 

It  is  most  true;  true,  I  have  married  her; 

The  very  head  and  front  of  my  offending 

Hath  this  extent,  no  more.    Rude  am  I  in  my  speech, 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  263 

And  little  bless' d  with  the  soft  phrase  of  peace; 

For,  since  these  arms  of  mine  had  seven  years'  pith, 

Till  now  some  nine  moons  wasted,  they  have  used 

Their  dearest  action  in  the  tented  field; 

And  little  of  this  great  world  can  I  speak, 

More  than  pertains  to  feats  of  broil  and  battle, 

And  therefore  little  shall  I  grace  my  cause 

In  speaking  for  myself.     Yet,  by  your  gracious  patience, 

I  will  a  round  unvarnished  tale  deliver 

Of  my  whole  course  of  love;  what  drugs,  what  charms, 

What  conjuration,  and  what  mighty  magic, 

(For  such  proceeding  I  am  charg'd  withal,) 

I  v/on  his  daughter  with. 

Her  father  lov'd  me  ;  oft  invited  me  ; 

Still  question' d  me  the  story  of  my  life, 

From  year  to  year ;  the  battles,  sieges,  fortunes, 

That  I  have  passed. 

I  ran  it  through,  even  from  my  boyish  days, 

To  the  very  moment  that  he  bade  me  tell  it: 

Wherein  I  spake  of  most  disastrous  chances, 

Of  moving  accidents  by  flood  and  field, 

Of  hair-breadth  'scapes  i'  the  imminent  deadly  breach; 

Of  being  taken  by  the  insolent  foe, 

And  sold  to  slavery  ;  of    my  redemption  thence, 

And  portance  in  my  travel's  history.  — 

These  things  to  hear, 
Would  Desdemona  seriously  incline: 
But  still  the  house-affairs  would  draw  her  thence, 
Which  ever  as  she  could  with  haste  dispatch, 
She'd  come  again,  and  with  a  greedy  ear 
Devour  up  my  discourse:  which  I  observing, 
Took  once  a  pliant  hour;  and  found  good  means 
To  draw  from  her  a  prayer  of  earnest  heart, 
That  I  would  all  my  pilgrimage  dilate, 
Whereof  by  parcels  she  had  something  heard, 
But  not  intentively:  I  did  consent; 
And  often  did  beguile  her  of  her  tears, 
When  I  did  speak  of  some  distressful  stroke 
That  my  youth  suffered.     My  story  being  done,     • 
She  gave  me  for  my  pains  a  world  of  sighs; 
She  swore,  in  faith  'twas  strange,  'twas  passing  strange, 


264  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

'Twas  pitiful,  'twas  wondrous  pitiful; 

She  wished  she  had  not  heard  it;  yet  she  wish'd 

That  heaven  had  made  her  such  a  man;  she  thank' d  me, 

And  bade  me,  if  I  had  a  friend  that  lov'd  her, 

I  should  but  teach  him  how  to  tell  my  story, 

And  that  would  woo  her.     Upon  this  hint,  I  spake: 

She  loved  me  for  the  dangers  I  had  passed, 

And  I  lov'd  her  that  she  did  pity  them.  — 

This  only  is  the  witchcraft  I  have  used. 

Othello,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iii. 

Another  excellent  extract  for  practice  is  the  following 
speech  of  Cassius  from  the  first  act  of  Julius  Ccesar.  Note 
the  dignity,  the  sarcasm,  the  ridicule,  the  contempt,  and 
the  sense  of  triumph. 

I  cannot  tell  what  you  and  other  men 
Think  of  this  life;  but,  for  my  single  self, 
I  had  as  lief  not  be,  as  live  to  be 
In  awe  of  such  a  thing  as  I  myself. 
I  was  born  as  free  as  Caesar;  so  were  you: 
We  both  have  fed  as  well,  and  we  can  both 
Endure  the  winter's  cold  as  well  as  he: 
For  once,  upon  a  raw  and  gusty  day, 
The  troubled  Tiber  chafing  with  her  shores, 
Caesar  said  to  me,   "Barest  thou,  Cassius,  now 
Leap  in  with  me  into  this  angry  flood, 
And  swim  to  yonder  point  ?  "     Upon  the  word, 
Accoutred  as  I  was,  I  plunged  in, 
And  bade  him  follow;  so  indeed  he  did. 
The  torrent  roared,  and  we  did  buffet  it 
With  lusty  sinews,  throwing  it  aside 
And  stemming  it  with  hearts  of  controversy; 
But  ere  we  could  arrive  the  point  proposed, 
Caesar  cried,  "Help  me,  Cassius,  or  I  sink!" 
I,  as  -<Eneas,  our  great  ancestor, 
Did  from  the  flames  of  Troy  upon  his  shoulder 
'The  old  Anchises  bear,  so  from  the  waves  of  Tiber 
Did  I  the  tired  Caesar.    -And  this  man 
Is  now  become  a  god,  and  Cassius  is 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  265 

A  wretched  creature,  and  must  bend  his  body, 
If  Csesar  carelessly  but  nod  on  him. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  I.,  Sc.  ii. 

These  speeches  of  Cassio  in  Othello  show  remorse,  self- 
contempt,  with  anger  and  regret. 

CASSIO.  Reputation,  reputation,  reputation !  Oh !  I  have  lost 
my  reputation.  I  have  lost  the  immortal  part  of  myself,  and  what 
remains  is  bestial.  My  reputation,  lago,  my  reputation  ! 

IAGO.  As  I  am  an  honest  man,  I  thought  you  had  received  some 
bodily  wound  ;  there  is  more  sense  in  that  than  in  reputation.  Rep- 
utation is  an  idle  and  most  false  imposition  ;  oft  got  without  merit, 
and  lost  without  deserving  :  you  have  lost  no  reputation  at  all,  unless 
you  repute  yourself  such  a  loser.  What,  man !  there  are  ways  to 
recover  the  general  again  :  you  are  but  now  cast  in  his  mood,  a  pun- 
ishment more  in  policy  than  in  malice ;  even  so  as  one  would  beat 
his  offenseless  dog,  to  affright  an  imperious  lion.  Sue  to  him  again, 
and  he's  yours. 

CASSIO.  I  will  rather  sue  to  be  despised,  than  to  deceive  so 
good  a  commander  with  so  slight,  so  drunken,  and  so  indiscreet  an 
officer.  Drunk  ?  and  speak  parrot  ?  and  squabble  ?  swagger  ?  swear 
and  discourse  fustian  with  one's  own  shadow  ?  O  thou  invisible 
spirit  of  wine !  if  thou  hast  no  name  to  be  known  by,  let  us  call  thee 
devil. 

IAGO.  What  was  he  that  you  followed  with  your  sword  ?  What 
had  he  done  to  you? 

CASSIO.     I  know  not. 

IAGO.     Is  't  possible  ? 

CASSIO.  I  remember  a  mass  of  things,  but  nothing  distinctly ; 
a  quarrel,  but  nothing  wherefore.  O  God,  that  men  should  put  an 
enemy  in  their  mouths,  to  steal  away  their  brains !  that  we  should, 
with  joy,  pleasance,  revel,  and  applause,  transform  ourselves  into 
beasts ! 

IAGO.  Why,  but  you  are  now  well  enough  :  how  came  you  thus 
recovered  ? 

CASSIO.     It  has  pleased  the  devil  drunkenness,  to  give  place  to 


266  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

the  devil  wrath :  one  unperfectness  shows  me  another,  to  make  me 
frankly  despise  myself. 

IAGO.  Come,  you  are  too  severe  a  moraler.  As  the  time,  the 
place,  and  the  condition  of  this  country  stands,  I  could  heartily  wish 
this  had  not  befallen ;  but,  since  it  is  as  it  is,  mend  it  for  your  own 
good. 

CASSIO.  I  will  ask  him  for  my  place  again  :  he  shall  tell  me,  I 
am  a  drunkard.  Had  I  as  many  mouths  as  Hydra,  such  an  answer 
would  stop  them  all.  To  be  now  a  sensible  man,  by-and-by  a  fool, 
and  presently  a  beast !  O,  strange !  Every  inordinate  cup  is  un- 
blessed, and  the  ingredient  is  a  devil. 

Othello,  Act  II.,  Sc.  iii. 

SIR  PETER.  When  an  old  bachelor  marries  a  young  wife,  what 
is  he  to  expect?  'Tis  now  above  six  months  since  my  Lady  Teazle 
made  me  "  the  happiest  of  men,"  and  I  have  been  the  most  miserable 
dog  ever  since !  We  tiffed  a  little  going  to  church,  and  fairly  quar- 
reled before  the  bells  were  done  ringing.  I  was  more  than  once 
nearly  choked  with  gall  during  the  honeymoon ;  and  had  lost  every 
satisfaction  in  life  before  my  friends  had  done  wishing  me  joy.  And 
yet  I  chose  with  caution  a  girl  bred  wholly  in  the  country,  who  had 
never  known  luxury  beyond  one  silk  gown,  or  dissipation  beyond 
the  annual  gala  of  a  race-ball.  Yet  now  she  plays  her  part  in  all 
the  extravagant  fopperies  of  the  town,  with  as  good  a  grace  as  if  she 
had  never  seen  a  bush  or  a  grass-plot  out  of  Grosvenor  Square.  I 
am  sneered  at  by  all  my  acquaintance  —  paragraphed  in  the  news- 
papers —  she  dissipates  my  fortune,  and  contradicts  all  my  humors. 
And  yet,  the  worst  of  it  is,  I  doubt  I  love  her,  or  I  should  never  bear 
all  this  —  but  I  am  determined  never  to  let  her  know  it.  —  No, 
no,  no !  Oh,  here  she  comes.  Lady  Teazle,  Lady  Teazle,  I  won't 
bear  it. 

LADY  TEAZLE.  Very  well,  Sir  Peter,  you  may  bear  it  or  not, 
just  as  you  please  ;  but  I  know  I  ought  to  have  my  own  way  in  every- 
thing ;  and  what's  more,  I  will. 

SIR  PETER.  What,  madam !  is  there  no  respect  due  to  the  au- 
thority of  a  husband  ? 

LADY  TEAZLE.  Why,  don't  I  know  that  no  woman  of  fashion 
does  as  she  is  bid  after  her  marriage  ?  Though  I  was  bred  in  the 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  267 

country,  I'm  no  stranger  to  that.  If  you  wanted  me  to  be  obedient, 
you  should  have  adopted  me,  and  not  married  me  — :  I'm  sure  you 
are  old  enough. 

SIR  PETER.  Ay,  there  it  is !  —  Oons,  madam,  what  right  have 
you  to  run  into  all  this  extravagance  ? 

LADY  TEAZLE.  I'm  sure  I'm  not  more  extravagant  than  a 
woman  of  quality  ought  to  be. 

SIR  PETER.  'Slife,  madam,  I'll  have  no  more  sums  squandered 
away  upon  such  unmeaning  luxuries :  you  have  as  many  flowers  in 
your  dressing-room  as  would  turn  the  Pantheon  into  a  green-house, 
or  make  a  fete  champetre  at  a  masquerade. 

LADY  TEAZLE.  O,  Sir  Peter,  how  can  you  be  so  angry  at  my 
little  elegant  expenses  ? 

SIR  PETER.  Had  you  any  of  those  little  elegant  expenses  when 
you  married  me? 

LADY  TEAZLE.  Very  true,  indeed ;  and,  after  having  married 
you,  I  should  never  pretend  to  taste  again ! 

SIR  PETER.  Very  well,  very  well,  madam !  You  have  entirely 
forgot  what  your  situation  was  when  I  first  saw  you. 

LADY  TEAZLE.  No,  no,  I  have  not ;  a  very  disagreeable  situa- 
tion it  was,  or  I'm  sure  I  never  would  have  married  you. 

SHERIDAN,  The  School  for  Scandal. 

All  the  world's  a  stage,  and  all  the  men  and  women  merely 
players :  they  have  their  exits  and  their  entrances ;  and  one  man,  in 
his  time,  plays  many  parts  ;  his  acts  being  —  Seven  Ages.  At  first, 
the  Infant,  mewling  and  puking  in  the  nurse's  arms.  And  then, 
the  whining  Schoolboy,  with  his  satchel  and  shining  morning  face ; 
creeping,  like  snail,  unwillingly  to  school.  And  then,  the  Lover, 
sighing  like  a  furnace,  with  a  woeful  ballad  made  to  his  mistress's 
eyebrow.  Then,  a  Soldier,  full  of  strange  oaths,  and  bearded  like 
the  pard;  jealous  in  honor,  sudden  and  quick  in  quarrel;  seeking 
the  bubble  reputation,  even  in  the  cannon's  mouth.  And  then,  the 
Justice,  in  fair  round  body  with  good  capon  lined,  with  eyes  severe 
and  beard  of  formal  cut,  full  of  wise  saws  and  modern  instances ;  — 
and  so  he  plays  his  part.  The  sixth  age  shifts  into  the  lean  and  slip- 
pered Pantaloon,  with  spectacles  on  nose  and  pouch  on  side ;  his 
youthful  hose,  well  saved,  a  world  too  wide  for  his  shrunk  shank; 


268  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

and  his  big  manly  voice,  turning  again  to  childish  treble,  pipes  and 
whistles  in  the  sound.  Last  scene  of  all,  that  ends  this  strange  event- 
ful history,  is  —  second  childishness  and  mere  oblivion ;  sans  teeth, 
sans  eyes,  sans  taste,  —  sans  everything ! 

As  You  Like  It,   Act  II.,  Sc.  vii.i 

The  study  of  the  character  and  speeches  of  Falstaff  in 
Henry  IV*,  will  prove  a  fruitful  one  for  the  student :  — 

PRINCE  HENRY.     Welcome,  Jack  :  where  hast  thou  been  ? 

FALSTAFF.  A  plague  of  all  cowards,  I  say,  and  a  vengeance 
too !  Marry,  and  amen !  Give  me  a  cup  of  sack,  boy.  Ere  I  lead 
this  life  long,  I'll  sew  nether  stocks,  and  mend  them,  and  foot  them 
too.  A  plague  of  all  cowards !  Give  me  a  cup  of  sack,  rogue.  Is 
there  no  virtue  extant? 

PRINCE  HENRY.  Didst  thou  never  see  Titan  kiss  a  dish  of 
butter?  pitiful-hearted  Titan,  that  melted  at  the  sweet  tale  of  the 
sun !  If  thou  didst,  then  behold  that  compound. 

FALSTAFF.  You  rogue,  here's  lime  in  this  sack,  too!  —  there  is 
nothing  but  roguery  to  be  found  in  villainous  man ;  yet  a  coward  is 
worse  than  a  cup  of  sack  with  lime  in  it :  a  villainous  coward  !  Go 
thy  ways,  old  Jack ;  die  when  thou  wilt,  if  manhood,  good  manhood, 
be  not  forgot  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  then  am  I  a  shotten  herring. 
There  live  not  three  good  men  unhanged  in  England,  and  one  of  them 
is  fat  and  grows  old.  A  bad  world  I  say  !  —  I  would  I  were  a  weaver  ; 
I  could  sing  psalms,  or  anything.  A  plague  of  all  cowards,  I  say 
still ! 

PRINCE  HENRY.     How  now,  woolsack  !  what  mutter  you  ? 

FALSTAFF.  A  king's  son !  If  I  do  not  beat  thee  out  of  thy 
kingdom  with  a  dagger  of  lath,  and  drive  all  thy  subjects  before  me 
like  a  flock  of  wild  geese,  I'll  never  wear  hair  on  my  face  more.  You 
Prince  of  Wales! 

PRINCE  HENRY.     Why,  what's  the  matter? 

FALSTAFF.     Are  you  not  a  coward  ?     Answer  me  to  that. 

1  Jaques,  the  speaker,  is  a  cynic.  Hence  it  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  this  de- 
scription of  man's  seven  ages  is  that  of  one  who  sees  the  world  through  a  cynic's 
eyes.  It  is  not  Shakespeare's  view.  Jaques  is  a  pessimist ;  Shakespeare  is  an 
optimist. 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  269 

PRINCE  HENRY.  Why,  ye  fat  paunch,  an'  ye  call  me  coward,  I'll 
stab  thee. 

FALSTAFF.  I  call  thee  coward !  I'll  see  thee  hanged  ere  I  call 
thee  coward  ;  but  I  would  give  a  thousand  pound  I  could  run  as 
fast  as  thou  canst.  You  are  straight  enough  in  the  shoulders ;  you 
care  not  who  sees  your  back.  Call  you  that  backing  of  your  friends? 
A  plague  upon  such  backing !  Give  me  them  that  will  face  me. 
Give  me  —  a  cup  of  sack  ;  — I'm  a  rogue  if  I  have  drunk  to-day. 

PRINCE  HENRY.  O  villain  !  thy  lips  are  scarce  wiped  since  thou 
drank'st  last. 

FALSTAFF.  All's  one  for  that.  A  plague  of  all  cowards,  still 
say  I. 

PRINCE  HENRY.     What's  the  matter? 

FALSTAFF.  What's  the  matter!  There  be  four  of  us  have 
tuen  a  thousand  pounds  this  morning. 

PRINCE  HENRY.     Where  is  it,  Jack  ?     Where  is  it  ? 

FALSTAFF.  Where  is  it !  Taken  from  us  it  is :  a  hundred  upon 
four  of  us. 

PRINCE  HENRY.     What  f  a  hundred,  man  ? 

FALSTAFF.  I  am  a  rogue  if  I  were  not  at  half -sword  with  a 
dozen  of  them,  two  hours  together.  I  have  escaped  by  miracle.  I 
am  eight  times  thrust  through  the  doublet,  four  through  the  hose ; 
my  buckler  cut  through  and  through ;  my  sword  hacked  like  a  hand- 
saw, ecce  signum.  I  never  dealt  better  since  I  was  a  man!  All 
would  not  do.  A  plague  of  all  cowards ! 

PRINCE  HENRY.     Speak,  Jack ;  how  was  it  ? 

FALSTAFF.  Four  of  us  set  upon  some  dozen,  and  bound  them 
—  every  man  of  them;  and  as  we  were  sharing,  some  six  or  seven 
fresh  men  set  upon  us,  and  unbound  the  rest ;  and  then  came  in  the 
others. 

PRINCE  HENRY.     What!  fought  ye  with  them  all? 

FALSTAFF.  All !  I  know  not  what  you  call  all ;  but  if  I  fought 
not  with  fifty  of  them,  I  am  a  bunch  of  radish ;  if  there  were  not 
two  or  three-and-fifty  upon  poor  old  Jack,  then  am  I  no  two-legged 
creature. 

PRINCE  HENRY.     I  pray,  you  have  not  murdered  some  of  them  ? 

FALSTAFF.  Nay,  that's  past  praying  for !  I  have  peppered  two 
of  them ;  —  two,  I  am  sure  I  have  paid  —  two  rogues  in  buckram 


270  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

suits.  I  tell  thee  what,  Hal,  if  I  tell  thee  a  lie,  spit  in  my  face  — 
call  me  horse.  Thou  know'st  my  old  ward  :  —  here  I  lay,  and  thus  I 
bore  my  point.  Four  rogues  in  buckram  let  drive  at  me  — 

PRINCE  HENRY.     What!  four?   Thou  said'st  but  two,  even  now. 

FALSTAFF.  Four,  Hal;  I  told  thee,  four.  These  four  came  all 
afront,  and  mainly  thrust  at  me.  I  made  no  more  ado,  but  took  all 
their  seven  points  in  my  target,  thus. 

PRINCE  HENRY.     Seven?     Why,  there  were  but  four,  even  now. 

FALSTAFF.     In  buckram  ? 

PRINCE  HENRY.     Ay,  four  in  buckram  suits. 

FALSTAFF.  Seven,  by  these  hilts,  or  I  am  a  villain  else.  Dost 
thou  hear  me,  Hal? 

PRINCE  HENRY.     Ay,  and  mark  thee  too. 

FALSTAFF.  Do  so,  for  it  is  worth  the  listening  to.  These  nine 
in  buckram  that  I  told  thee  of  — 

PRINCE  HENRY.     So,  two  more  already  !  (aside). 

FALSTAFF.  Their  points  being  broken,  they  began  to  give  me 
ground :  but  I  followed  them  close ;  came  in,  foot  and  hand ;  and, 
with  a  thought,  seven  of  the  eleven  I  paid. 

PRINCE  HENRY.  O  monstrous  !  eleven  buckram  men  grown  out 
of  two  ! 

FALSTAFF.  But,  as  bad  luck  would  have  it,  three  misbegotten 
knaves,  in  Kendal-green,  came  at  my  back,  and  let  drive  at  me ;  for, 
it  was  so  dark,  Hal,  that  thou  couldst  not  see  thy  hand. 

PRINCE  HENRY.  These  lies  are  like  the  father  that  begets  them 
—  gross  as  a  mountain,  open,  palpable.  Why,  thou  clay-brained  and 
knotty-pated  fool,  thou  obscene,  greasy  tallow-keech  — 

FALSTAFF.  What!  art  thou  mad?  art  thou  mad?  Is  not  the 
truth  the  truth? 

PRINCE  HENRY.  Why,  how  couldst  thou  know  these  men  in 
Kendal-green  when  » it  was  so  dark,  thou  couldst  not  see  thy  hand  "  ? 
Come,  tell  us  your  reason.  What  say'st  thou  to  this?  Come,  your 
reason,  Jack,  your  reason. 

FALSTAFF.  What !  upon  compulsion !  No !  were  I  at  the 
strappado  or  all  the  racks  in  the  world,  I  would  not  tell  you  upon 
compulsion.  Give  you  a  reason  on  compulsion  !  If  reasons  were  as 
plenty  as  blackberries,  I  would  give  no  man  a  reason  on  compulsion, 
II 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  271 

PRINCE  HENRY.  I'll  be  no  longer  guilty  of  this  sin.  Thou  san- 
guine coward,  thou  bed-presser,  thou  horse  back-breaker,  thou  huge 
hill  of  flesh  — 

FALSTAFF.  Away!  you  starveling  —  you  eel-skin  —  you  dried 
neat's  tongue  —  you  stock-fish  !  —  O,  for  breath  to  utter  what  is  like 
thee  !  —  you  tailor's  yard  —  you  sheath  —  you  bow-case  —  you  vile 
standing  tuck  — 

PRINCE  HENRY.  Well,  breathe  awhile,  and  then  to  it  again  ; 
and  when  thou  hast  tired  thyself  in  base  comparisons,  hear  me  speak 
but  this  : —  Poins  and  I  saw  you  four  set  on  four;  you  bound  them, 
and  were  masters  of  their  wealth.  Mark,  now,  how  plain  a  tale  shall 
put  you  down.  Then  did  we  two  set  on  you  four,  and,  with  a  word, 
out-faced  you  from  your  prize,  and  have  it ;  yea,  and  can  show  it  you 
here  in  the  house.  And,  Falstaff,  you  carried  your  mountain-sides 
away  as  nimbly,  with  as  quick  dexterity,  and  roared  for  mercy,  and 
still  ran  and  roared,  as  ever  I  heard  bull-calf.  What  a  slave  art  thou 
to  hack  thy  sword  as  thou  hast  done,  and  then  say  it  was  in  fight ! 
AVhat  trick,  what  device,  what  starting-hole  canst  thou  find  out,  to 
hide  thee  from  this  open  and  apparent  shame  ? 

FALSTAFF.  Ha !  ha !  ha !  I  knew  ye,  as  well  as  he  that  made 
you.  Why,  hear  you,  my  master  —  was  it  for  me  to  kill  the  heir- 
apparent  ?  Should  I  turn  upon  the  true  prince  ?  Why,  thou 
knowest,  I  am  as  valiant  as  Hercules,  but,  beware  instinct !  the  lion 
will  not  touch  the  true  prince.  Instinct  is  a  great  matter  !  I  was  a 
coward  —  on  instinct !  I  shall  think  the  better  of  myself  and  thee 
during  my  life :  myself  for  a  valiant  lion,  and  thee  for  a  true  prince. 
But  I  am  glad  you  have  the  money.  Clap  to  the  doors ;  watch  to- 
night, pray  to-morrow.  —  What,  shall  we  be  merry  ?  Shall  we  have 
a  play  extempore  ? 

PRINCE  HENRY.  Content ;  and  the  argument  shall  be,  thy  run- 
ning away! 

FALSTAFF.     Ah  !  no  more  of  that,  Hal,  an'  thou  lovest  me. 
King  Henry  IV.,  Part  I.,  Act  II.,  Sc.  iv. 


272  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 


NORMAL    FEELING. 

The  conversational  manner  is  the  basis  of  all  good 
speaking.  Hence,  the  exercises  under  this  head  should 
be  practiced  until  all  mannerisms  and  idiosyncrasies  are 
removed.  If  the  colloquial  utterance  is  faulty,  surely  the 
expression  of  elevated  feeling  must  be  equally  so  ;  and  it 
is  easier  to  rid  one's  self  of  faults  by  practicing  the  conver- 
sational form  than  by  practicing  those  of  a  more  intense 
and  complicated  nature. 

These  exercises  will  also  do  much  to  insure  brightness 
and  purity  of  tone,  and  to  bring  the  voice  forward ;  they 
will  also  correct  monotonousness  and  faulty  cadences. 

In  1815  M.  Charles  Myriel  was  the  bishop  of  D .     He  was 

a  man  of  about  seventy-five  years  of  age,  and  had  held  the  see  of 

D since  1806.     Although  the  following  details  in  no  way  affect 

our  narrative,  it  may  not  be  useless  to  quote  the  rumors  that  were 
current  about  him  at  the  moment  when  he  came  to  the  diocese ;  for 
what  is  said  of  men,  whether  it  be  true  or  false,  often  occupies  as 
much  space  in  their  life,  and  especially  in  their  destiny,  as  what 
they  do VICTOR  HUGO,  Les  Miserables. 

Speak  the  speech,  I  pray  you,  as  I  pronounced  it  to  you,  trip- 
pingly on  the  tongue ;  but  if  you  mouth  it,  as  many  of  your  players 
do,  I  had  as  lief  the  town  crier  spoke  my  lines.  And  do  not  saw  the 
air  too  much  with  your  hand,  thus ;  but  use  all  gently :  for  in  the 
very  torrent,  tempest,  and  (as  I  may  say)  whirlwind  of  your  passion, 
you  must  acquire  and  beget  a  temperance  that  may  give  it  smooth- 
ness. Oh,  it  offends  me  to  the  soul  to  hear  a  robustious,  periwig- 
pated  fellow  tear  a  passion  to  tatters,  to  very  rags,  to  split  the  ears 
of  the  groundlings,  who,  for  the  most  part,  are  capable  of  nothing 
but  inexplicable  dumb-shows  and  noise.  I  would  have  such  a  fellow 
whipped  for  o'erdoing  Termagant ;  it  out-herods  Herod :  pray  you 
avoid  it. 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  273 

Be  not  too  tame  either,  but  let  your  own  discretion  be  your 
tutor :  suit  the  action  to  the  word,  the  word  to  the  action,  with  this 
special  observance,  that  you  o'erstep  not  the  modesty  of  Nature ; 
for  anything  so  overdone  is  from  the  purpose  of  playing,  whose  end, 
both  at  the  first,  and  now,  was,  and  is,  to  hold,  as  'twere,  the  mirror 
up  to  Nature,  to  show  Virtue  her  own  feature,  Scorn  her  own  image, 
and  the  very  age  and  body  of  the  time  his  form  and  pressure.  Now, 
this  overdone,  or  come  tardy  off,  though  it  make  the  unskillful  laugh, 
cannot  but  make  the  judicious  grieve ;  the  censure  of  the  which  one 
must,  in  your  allowance,  o'erweigh  a  whole  theater  of  others.  Oh, 
there  be  players  that  I  have  seen  play  —  and  heard  others  praise,  and 
ihat  highly  —  not  to  speak  it  profanely,  that,  neither  having  the 
accent  of  Christians,  nor  the  gait  of  Christian,  pagan,  or  man,  have 
so  strutted  and  bellowed  that  I  have  thought  some  of  Nature's  jour- 
neymen had  made  men,  and  not  made  them  well,  they  imitated 
humanity  so  abominably.  —  Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii. 

The  beams  of  the  rising  sun  had  gilded  the  lofty  domes  of 
Carthage,  and  given,  with  its  rich  and  mellow  light,  a  tinge  of 
beauty  even  to  the  frowning  ramparts  of  the  outer  harbor.  Shel- 
tered by  the  verdant  shores,  an  hundred  triremes  were  riding  proudly 
at  their  anchors,  their  brazen  beaks  glittering  in  the  sun,  their 
streamers  dancing  in  the  morning  breeze,  while  many  a  shattered 
plank  and  timber  gave  evidence  of  desperate  conflicts  with  the  fleets 
of  Rome. 

No  murmur  of  business  or  of  revelry  arose  from  the  city.  The 
artisan  had  forsaken  his  shop,  the  judge  his  tribunal,  the  priest  the 
sanctuary,  and  even  the  stern  stoic  had  come  forth  from  his  retire- 
ment to  mingle  with  the  crowd  that,  anxious  and  agitated,  were 
rushing  toward  the  senate-house,  startled  by  the  report  that  Regulus 
had  returned  to  Carthage.  —  KELLOGG,  Regulus  to  the  Carthaginians. 

There  will  be  no  misunderstanding  between  us,  I  presume,  as  to 
my  general  purpose  and  plan  in  coming  hither,  or  in  what  I  am  to 
say  to  you,  now  and  hereafter.  I  do  not  come,  of  course,  to  deliver 
systematic  and  elaborate  lectures  on  the  subject  upon  which  I  am  to 
speak.  You  have  Professors  to  do  that,  with  leisure,  skill,  and  an 
aptness  for  the  office  which  I  do  not  possess ;  and  I  should  only  be 
intruding  myself  upon  their  function,  without  invitation  and  with- 


274  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

out  warrant,  if  I  were  to  attempt  anything  of  the  kind.  I  have 
come  simply  to  talk  with  you  a  little,  in  a  familiar  way,  of  the 
conditions  of  success  in  preaching  without  notes ;  and  to  offer  some 
thoughts,  concerning  these  conditions,  which  are  suggested  to  me  by 
my  own  experience. 

I  have  thought,  in  looking  back  on  my  Seminary  course,  that  I 
should  have  been  glad'  if  some  one  who  had  entered  the  ministry 
before  me  had  then  told  me,  frankly  and  fully,  as  I  hope  to  tell  you, 
what  he  had  learned  by  any  efforts  which  he  had  made  in  this  direc- 
tion. So  I  have  cheerfully  accepted  the  invitation  to  do  for  you 
what  I  see  I  should  have  been  glad  to  have  had  some  one  else  then 
do  for  me. 

I  am  somewhat  abashed,  I  confess,  at  finding  so  many  present 
whom  I  have  not  come  prepared  to  address,  —  Professors,  Secretaries, 
Clergymen,  Lawyers,  Editors,  and  others,  —  many  of  them  masters 
of  every  art  and  power  of  eloquence,  as  I  am  not,  and  far  better 
qualified  to  instruct  me  on  the  subject  than  I  am  to  give  suggestions 
to  them.  But  I  shall  not  be  diverted  from  the  one  purpose  which 
has  brought  me  hither  —  to  talk  familiarly  and  freely  to  you.  If 
what  I  am  to  say  shall  seem  commonplace,  as  very  likely  it  will,  to 
these  gentlemen  whose  presence  I  did  not  anticipate,  I  can  only 
remind  them  that  they  are  not  here  at  my  invitation,  and  that  if 
they  choose  to  take  part  of  their  purgatory  in  this  life,  and  in  this 
particular  fashion,  we  cannot  object.  But  I  have  only  you  to  speak 
to  ;  and  shall  not  turn  aside  to  consider  whether  that  which  is  in  my 
mind  is,  or  is  not,  what  they  have  come  to  hear. 

As  I  said,  the  suggestions  which  I  make  will  be  largely  those 
derived  from  my  personal  experience.  I  do  not  know  that  you  will 
find  much  profit  in  them,  for  I  remember  the  remark  of  Coleridge 
that  "  experience  is  like  the  stern-light  of  a  ship  at  sea :  it  enlightens 
only  the  track  which  has  been  passed  over."  There  are  such  differ- 
ences between  men,  in  temperament,  habit,  mental  constitution,  the 
natural  and  customary  methods  of  work,  that  the  experience  of  one 
may  not  suggest  much  of  value  to  another,  and  I  shall  not  be  disap- 
pointed if  mine  is  not  very  serviceable  to  you.  Indeed,  this  matter 
of  speaking  freely  to  a  public  assembly,  without  notes,  is  eminently 
one  in  regard  to  which  every  man  must  learn  for  himself ;  and  no 
one  can  make  his  own  method  a  rule  for  another,  unless  he  can 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  275 

simultaneously  exchange  minds  with  him  —  a  thing  which  in  our 
case  would  be  neither  possible  for  me,  nor  perhaps  profitable  for  you. 
Still,  the  rules  which  experience  suggests  are  likely  to  be  better  than 
those  which  theorists  elaborate  in  their  libraries;  and  I  have  got 
more  help  myself  from  hints  of  others,  working  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, than  from  any  discussions  in  learned  treatises.  So  I  shall  give 
you  what  I  can,  and  hope  for  the  best;  and  if  anything  which  I  may 
say  shall  prove  to  be  of  service  to  you,  I  shall  be  amply  rewarded  for 
the  work.  —  R.  S.  STORKS. 

"  The  funniest  story  I  ever  heard, 

The  funniest  thing  that  ever  occurred, 
Was  the  story  of  Mrs.  Mehitabel  Bird, 
Who  wanted  to  be  a  mason. 

Her  husband,  Tom  Bird,  was  a  mason  true, 
As  good  a  mason  as  any  of  you, 
And  she  wanted  to  be  a  mason  too, 
This  ridiculous  Mrs.  Bird." 

DECIUS.     Here  lies  the  East  :  doth  not  the  day  break  here  ? 

CASCA.     No. 

CINNA.     O,  pardon,  sir,  it  doth  ;  and  yon  gray  lines 
That  fret  the  clouds  are  messengers  of  day. 

CASCA.     You  shall  confess  that  you  are  both  deceived. 
Here,  as  I  point  my  sword,  the  sun  arises  ; 
Which  is  a  great  way  growing  on  the  South, 
Weighing  the  youthful  season  of  the  year. 
Some  two  months  hence,  up  higher  toward  the  North 
He  first  presents  his  fire  ;  and  the  high  East 
Stands,  as  the  Capitol,  directly  here. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  II.,  Sc.  i. 

He  was  in  logic  a  great  critic, 

Profoundly  skill'd  in  analytic  ; 

He  could  distinguish,  and  divide 

A  hair  'twixt  south  and  southwest  side  ; 

On  either  which  he  would  dispute, 

Confute,  change  hands,  and  still  confute  : 

He'd  undertake  to  prove,  by  force 

Of  argument,  a  man's  no  horse  : 

He'd  prove  a  buzzard  is  no  fowl, 

And  that  a  lord  may  be  an  owl  ; 


276  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

A  calf  an  alderman,  a  goose  a  justice, 
And  rooks  Committee-men  and  Trustees. 
He'd  run  in  debt  by  disputation, 
And  pay  with  ratiocination: 
All  this  by  syllogism,  true 
In  mood  and  figure  he  would  do. 
For  rhetoric,  he  could  not  ope 
His  mouth,  but  out  there  flew  a  trope  ; 
And,  when  he  happen' d  to  break  off 
1'  th'  middle  of  his  speech,  or  cough, 
H'  had  hard  words  ready  to  show  why, 
And  tell  what  rules  he  did  it  by. 

BUTLER,  Hudibras. 

DUNCAN.     This  castle  hath  a  pleasant  seat ;  the  air 
Nimbly  and  sweetly  recommends  itself 
Unto  our  gentle  senses. 

BANQUO.  This  guest  of  summer, 

The  temple-haunting  martlet,  doth  approve, 
By  his  lov'd  mansionry,  that  the  heaven's  breath 
Smells  wooingly  here  :  no  jutty,  frieze, 
Buttress,  nor  coign  of  vantage,  but  this  bird  hath  made 
His  pendent  bed,  and  procreant  cradle  : 
Where  they  most  breed  and  haunt,  I  have  observ'd, 
The  air  is  delicate. 

Macbeth,  Act  I.,  Sc.  vi. 

ELEVATED    FEELING. 

It  may  be  well  to  repeat  here  what  was  stated  in  the 
first  part  of  the  book.  The  tone  expressive  of  elevated 
feeling  "cannot  be  mechanically  produced,  or  manufac- 
tured independently  of  the  general  mental  and  physical 
conditions."  The  imagination  must  lead,  otherwise  we 
shall  have  big  voices  without  big  quality.  That  peculiar 
quality  expressive  of  enlarged  feeling  is  not  necessarily 
loud.  In  fact,  it  may  be  small  in  size,  but  at  the  same 
time  may  suggest  grandeur  and  sublimity  far  better  than  a 
voice  that  has  merely  loudness.  But  if  the  student  will 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  277 

practice  faithfully  he  may  be  assured  that  his  voice  will  re- 
ceive more  genuine  training  through  these  exercises  than 
through  a  whole  volume  of  merely  technical  drills.  De- 
velop the  imagination,  the  soul,  and  the  voice  will  grow 
through  the  effort  of  the  soul  to  go  out  in  expression. 
But  let  him  avoid  mere  shouting  and  vociferating,  if  he 
never  gets  a  voice. 

If  the  student  has  not  the  imagination,  he  must  develop 
it.  There  are  many  loud  voices,  but  few  with  soulful 
quality.  But  what  avails  this  loudness  ?  Certainly  it 
enables  one  to  be  heard  above  the  din  of  voices  and  the 
roar  of  the  waves,  but  it  never  stirs  the  nobler  emotions 
of  an  audience ;  and  unless  one  can  do  that  he  is  anything 
but  an  orator.  Mere  loudness  is  rant  —  nothing  less. 

Many  students,  for  one  reason  or  another,  either  have 
no  ability  to  express  elevated  feeling  in  public,  or  repress 
it  through  diffidence  or  shyness.  Let  such  remember  that 
we  are  constantly  experiencing  and  expressing  this  feeling 
in  our  every-day  life ;  that  it  is  simply  an  enlargement  of 
more  or  less  commonplace  feeling ;  and  let  him  begin  with 
the  simple  examples  that  are  set  down  first.  Any  one  can 
say,  What  a  lovely  day  this  is !  Well,  that  is  a  mild 
form  of  elevated  feeling.  Let  him  imagine  it  is  gradu- 
ation day,  and  that  rain  had  been  threatening  to  fall  all 
the  previous  night.  It  is  daylight  now ;  and  as  he  opens 
his  eyes  and  looks  up  at  the  cloudless  sky,  will  not  he  ex- 
claim with  elevated  feeling,  What  a  glorious  day  we're 
going  to  have ! 

By  "  elevated  feelings  "  one  must  not  understand  those 
only  that  are  solemn  and  the  like.  Whenever  the  imagi- 
nation is  enkindled  by  the  contemplation  of  what  is  large, 
dignified,  grand,  sublime,  the  emotions  are  stirred,  and 


278  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

that  stirring  finds  expression  in  enlarged  utterance.  The 
following,  Welcome  to  Alexandra,  by  Tennyson,  shows  en- 
larged and  yet  controlled  joy,  — 

Sea-kings'  daughter  from  over  the  sea,  Alexandra! 

Saxon  and  Norman  and  Dane  are  we, 

But  all  of  us  Danes  in  our  welcome  of  thee,  Alexandra! 

Welcome  her,  thunders  of  fort  and  of  fleet! 

Welcome  her,  thundering  cheer  of  the  street! 

Welcome  her,  all  things  youthful  and  sweet, 

Scatter  the  blossoms  under  her  feet! 

Break,  happy  land,  into  earlier  flowers  ! 

Make  music,  O  bird,  in  the  new-budded  bowersl 

Blazon  your  mottoes  of  blessing  and  prayer! 

Welcome  her,  welcome  her,  all  that  is  ours! 

Warble,  O  bugle,  and  trumpet,  blare! 

Flags,  flutter  out  upon  turrets  and  towers! 

Flames,  on  the  windy  headland  flare! 

Utter  your  jubilee,  steeple  and  spire! 

Clash,  ye  bells,  in  the  merry  March  air! 

Flash,  ye  cities,  in  rivers  of  fire! 

Rush  to  the  roof,  sudden  rocket,  and  higher 

Melt  into  stars  for  the  land's  desire! 

Roll  and  rejoice,  jubilant  voice, 

Roll  as  a  ground-swell  dashed  on  the  strand, 

Roar  as  the  sea  when  it  welcomes  the  land, 

And  welcome  her,  welcome  the  land's  desire, 

The  sea-kings'  daughter  as  happy  as  fair, 

Blissful  bride  of  a  blissful  heir, 

Bride  of  the  heir  of  the  kings  of  the  sea. 

O  joy  to  the  people  and  joy  to  the  throne, 

Come  to  us,  love  us,  and  make  us  your  own; 

For  Saxon  or  Dane  or  Norman  we, 

Teuton  or  Celt,  or  whatever  we  be, 

We  are  each  all  Dane  in  our  welcome  of  thee,         Alexandra! 

"  What  a  magnificent  building  that  is  I  " 
"  What  a  piece  of  work  is  man  !  " 

"O  Tiber!  father  Tiber!  to  whom  the  Romans  pray, 
A  Roman's  life,  a  Roman's  arms,  take  thou  in  charge  this  day  ! " 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  279 

"  Ay,  every  inch  a  king  !  " 

"  Think  of  it!  a  building  that  could  hold  a  hundred  thousand 
people  !  " 

"  Here  will  be  their  greatest  triumph." 

"  Who  shall  put  asunder  the  best  affections  of  the  heart  ?  " 

"  We  loved  the  land  of  our  adoption !  " 

"  A  good  name  is  better  than  precious  ointment.'5 

"  Gird  up  thy  loins  now,  like  a  man." 

"  Comfort  ye  my  people." 

"  O  Zion,  that  bringest  good  tidings,  get  thee  up  into  the  high 
mountain  !  " 

"  He  is  as  honest  a  man  as  ever  breathed." 

"  Search  creation  round,  where  will  you  find  a  country  that  pre- 
sents so  sublime  a  spectacle,  so  interesting  an  anticipation  ?  " 

"  Most  of  all,  fellow-citizens,  if  your  sons  ask  whose  example 
they  shall  imitate,  what  will  you  say  ?  For  you  know  well  it  is  not 
music,  nor  the  gymnasiums,  nor  the  schools,  that  mold  young  men ; 
it  is  much  more  the  public  proclamations,  the  public  example.  If 
you  take  one  whose  life  has  no  high  purpose,  one  who  mocks  at 
morals,  and  crown  him  in  the  theater,  every  boy  who  sees  it  is  cor- 
rupted. When  a  bad  man  suffers  his  deserts,  the  people  learn ;  on 
the  contrary,  when  a  man  VOTES  AGAINST  WHAT  is  NOBLE  AND 
JUST,  and  then  comes  home  to  teach  his  son,  the  boy  will  very 
promptly  say,  '  Your  lesson  is  impertinent  and  a  bore.'  Beware, 
therefore,  Athenians,  remembering  posterity  will  rejudge  your  judg- 
ment, and  that  the  character  of  a  city  is  determined  by  the  char- 
acter of  the  men  it  crowns." 

While  the  Union  lasts,  we  have  high,  exciting,  gratifying  pros- 
pects spread  out  before  us,  for  us  and  our  children.  Beyond  that  I 
seek  not  to  penetrate  the  veil.  God  grant  that  in  my  day,  at  least, 
that  curtain  may  not  rise.  God  grant  that  on  my  vision  never  may 
be  opened  what  lies  behind.  When  my  eyes  shall  be  turned  to 
behold  for  the  last  time  the  sun  in  heaven,  may  I  not  see  him  shin- 


280  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

ing  on  the  broken  and  dishonored  fragments  of  a  once  glorious 
Union ;  on  States  dissevered,  discordant,  belligerent ;  on  a  land  rent 
with  civil  feuds,  or  drenched,  it  may  be,  in  fraternal  blood !  Let 
their  last  feeble  and  lingering  glance,  rather,  behold  the  gorgeous 
ensign  of  the  republic,  now  known  and  honored  throughout  the 
earth,  still  full  high  advanced,  its  arms  and  trophies  streaming  in 
their  original  luster,  not  a  stripe  erased  or  polluted,  not  a  single  star 
obscured  —  bearing  for  its  motto  no  such  miserable  interrogatory  as, 
"  What  is  all  this  worth  ? "  nor  those  other  words  of  delusion  and 
folly,  "  Liberty  first,  and  Union  afterward  ;  "  but  everywhere,  spread 
all  over  in  characters  of  living  light,  blazing  on  all  its  ample  folds  as 
they  float  over  the  sea  and  over  the  land,  and  in  every  wind  under 
the  whole  heavens,  that  other  sentiment,  dear  to  every  true  American 
heart  —  "  Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  forever,  one  and  inseparable  "  ! 

WEBSTER. 

Venerable  men !  you  have  come  down  to  us  from  a  former 
generation.  Heaven  has  bounteously  lengthened  out  your  lives, 
that  you  might  behold  this  joyous  day.  You  are  now  where  you 
stood  fifty  years  ago,  this  very  hour,  with  your  brothers  and  your 
neighbors,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  in  the  strife  for  your  country.  Be- 
hold, how  altered  !  The  same  heavens  are  indeed  above  your  heads  ; 
the  same  ocean  rolls  at  your  feet ;  but  all  else  how  changed ! 

You  hear  now  no  roar  of  hostile  cannon,  you  see  no  mixed 
volume  of  smoke  and  flame  rising  from  burning  Charlestown.  The 
ground  strewed  with  the  dead  and  dying ;  the  impetuous  charge  ; 
the  steady  and  successful  repulse ;  the  loud  call  to  repeated  assault ; 
the  summoning  of  all  that  is  manly  to  repeated  resistance ;  a  thou- 
sand bosoms  freely  and  fearlessly  bared  in  an  instant  to  whatever  of 
terror  there  may  be  in  war  and  death ;  all  these  you  have  witnessed, 
but  you  witness  them  no  more. 

All  is  peace.  The  heights  of  yonder  metropolis,  its  towers  and 
roofs,  which  you  then  saw  filled  with  wives  and  children  and  country- 
men in  distress  and  terror,  and  looking  with  unutterable  emotions 
for  the  issue  of  the  combat,  have  presented  you  to-day  with  the  sight 
of  its  whole  happy  population  come  out  to  welcome  and  greet  you 
with  a  universal  jubilee.  Yonder  proud  ships,  by  a  felicity  of  posi- 
tion appropriately  lying  at  the  foot  of  this  mount,  and  seeming 


STUDIES   IN  EMOTION.  281 

fondly  to  cling  around  it,  are  not  means  of  annoyance  to  you,  but 
your  country's  own  means  of  distinction  and  defense.  —  WEBSTER. 

What  lesson  shall  those  lips  teach  us?  Before  that  still,  calm 
brow  let  us  take  a  new  baptism.  How  can  we  stand  here  without  a 
fresh  and  utter  consecration  ?  -  These  tears !  how  shall  we  dare  even 
to  offer  consolation?  Only  lips  fresh  from  such  a  vow  have  the  right 
to  mingle  their  words  with  your  tears.  We  envy  you  your  nearer 
place  to  these  martyred  children  of  God.  I  do  not  believe  slavery 
will  go  down  in  blood.  Ours  is  an  age  of  thought.  Hearts  are 
stronger  than  swords.  That  last  fortnight !  How  sublime  its  les- 
son !  the  Christian  one  of  conscience,  —  of  truth.  Virginia  is  weak, 
because  each  man's  heart  said  amen  to  John  Brown.  His  words,  — 
they  are  stronger  even  than  his  rifles.  These  crushed  a  State.  Those 
have  changed  the  thoughts  of  millions,  and  will  yet  crush  slavery. 
Men  said,  "  Would  he  had  died  in  arms  !  "  God  ordered  better,  and 
granted  to  him  and  the  slave  those  noble  prison  hours,  —  that  single 
hour  of  death ;  granted  him  a  higher  than  the  soldier's  place,  —  that 
of  teacher ;  the  echoes  of  his  rifles  have  died  away  in  the  hills,  —  a 
million  hearts  guard  his  words.  God  bless  this  roof,  —  make  it  bless 
us.  We  dare  not  say  bless  you,  children  of  this  home !  you  stand 
nearer  to  one  whose  lips  God  touched,  and  we  rather  bend  for  your 
blessings.  God  make  us  all  worthier  of  him  whose  dust  we  lay 
among  these  hills  he  loved.  Here  he  girded  himself  and  went  forth 
to  battle.  Fuller  success  than  his  heart  ever  dreamed  God  granted 
him.  He  sleeps  in  the  blessings  of  the  crushed  and  the  poor,  and 
men  believe  more  firmly  in  virtue,  now  that  such  a  man  has  lived. 
Standing  here,  let  us  thank  God  for  a  firmer  faith  and  fuller  hope. 
—  WENDELL  PHILLIPS. 

"  Right  forever  on  the  scaffold,  Wrong  forever  on  the  throne; 
But  that  scaffold  sways  the  future,  and  behind  the  dim  unknown 
Standeth  God  within  the  shadow,  keeping  watch  above  his  own." 

Thou,  too,  sail  on,  O  Ship  of  State! 
Sail  on,  O  UNION,  strong  and  great! 
Humanity,  with  all  its  fears, 
With  all  the  hopes  of  future  years, 
Is  hanging  breathless  on  thy  fate! 
We  know  what  Master  laid  thy  keel, 


282  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

vVhat  workmen  wrought  thy  ribs  of  steel, 
Who  made  each  mast,  and  sail,  and  rope, 
What  anvils  rang,  what  hammers  beat, 
In  what  a  forge,  and  what  a  heat, 
Were  shaped  the  anchors  of  thy  hope! 

Fear  not  each  sudden  sound  and  shock; 

'Tis  of  the  wave,  and  not  the  r<5ck; 

'Tis  but  the  napping  of  the  sail, 

And  not  a  rent  made  by  the  gale! 

In  spite  of  rock  and  tempest's  roar, 

In  spite  of  false  lights  on  the  shore, 

Sail  on,  nor  fear  to  breast  thet  sea! 

Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  are  all  with  thee: 

Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  our  prayers,  our  tears, 

Our  faith  triumphant  o'er  our  fears, 

Are  all  with  thee,  —  are  all  with  thee! 

LONGFELLOW. 

See  what  a  grace  was  seated  on  this  brow; 
Hyperion's  curls;  the  front  of  Jove  himself; 
An  eye  like  Mars,  to  threaten  and  command; 
A  station  like  the  herald  Mercury 
New-lighted  on  a  heaven-kissing  hill; 
A  combination  and  a  form  indeed, 
Where  every  god  did  seem  to  set  his  seal, 
To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a  man. 

Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  iv. 

This  was  the  noblest  Roman  of  them  a.11; 

All  the  conspirators,  save  only  he, 

Did  that  they  did  in  envy  of  great  Caesar; 

He  only,  in  a  general  honest  thought 

And  common  good  to  all,  made  one  of  them. 

His  life  was  gentle;  and  the  elements 

So  mixed  in  him,  that  nature  might  stand  up 

And  say  to  all  the  world,  "This  was  a  man." 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  V.,  Sc.v. 

O,  what  a  noble  mind  is  here  o'erthrown! 

The  courtier's,  soldier's,  scholar's,  eye,  tongue,  sword; 

The  expectancy  and  rose  of  the  fair  state, 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  283 

The  glass  of  fashion  and  the  mold  of  form, 
The  observed  of  all  observers,  quite,  quite  down! 

Hamlet,  Act.  III.,  Sc.  i. 

Awake,  my  soul!     Not  only  passive  praise 
Thou  owest;  not  alone  these  swelling  tears, 
Mute  thanks,  and  secret  ecstasy.     Awake, 
Voice  of  sweet  song!    Awake,  my  heart,  Awake! 
Green  vales  and  icy  cliffs,  all  join  my  hymn! 

COLERIDGE. 
And  the  evening  star  was  shining 

On  Schehallion's  distant  head, 
When  we  wiped  our  bloody  broadswords, 

And  returned  to  count  the  dead. 
There  we  found  him  gashed  and  gory, 

Stretched  upon  the  cumbered  plain, 
As  he  told  us  where  to  seek  him, 

In  the  thickest  of  the  slain. 
And  a  smile  was  on  his  visage, 

For  within  his  dying  ear 
Pealed  the  joyful  note  of  triumph, 

And  the  clansman's  clamorous  cheer: 
So,  amidst  the  battle's  thunder, 

Shot,  and  steel,  and  scorching  flame, 
In  the  glory  of  his  manhood 

Passed  the  spirit  of  the  Graeme! 

Open  wide  the  vaults  of  Atholl, 

Where  the  bones  of  heroes  rest.  — 
Open  wide  the  hallowed  portals 

To  receive  another  guest! 
Last  of  Scots  and  last  of  freemen,  — 

Last  of  all  that  dauntless  race, 
Who  would  rather  die  unsullied 

Than  outlive  the  land's  disgrace! 

AYTOUN. 
Bury  the  Great  Duke 

With  an  empire's  lamentation, 

Let  us  bury  the  Great  Duke 

To  the  noise  of  the  mourning  of  a  mighty  nation, 

Mourning  when  their  leaders  fall, 

Warriors  carry  the  warrior's  pall, 

And  sorrow  darkens  hamlet  and  hall. 


284  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Where  shall  we  lay  the  man  whom  we  deplore  ? 
Here,  in  streaming  London's  central  roar, 
Let  the  sound  of  those  he  wrought  for, 
And  the  feet  of  those  he  fought  for, 

Echo  round  his  bones  forevermore. 

• 

Lead  out  the  pageant:  sad  and  slow, 

As  fits  a  universal  woe, 

Let  the  long,  long  procession  go, 

And  let  the  sorrowing  crowd  about  it  grow, 

And  let  the  mournful  martial  music  blow; 

The  last  great  Englishman  is  low. 

All  is  over  and  done  : 

Render  thanks  to  the  Giver, 

England,  for  thy  son. 

Let  the  bell  be  toll'd. 

Render  thanks  to  the  Giver, 

And  render  him  to  the  mold. 

Under  the  cross  of  gold 

That  shines  over  city  and  river, 

There  he  shall  rest  forever 

Among  the  wise  and  the  bold. 

Let  the  bell  be  toll'd  : 

And  a  reverent  people  behold 

The  towering  car,  the  sable  steeds: 

Bright  let  it  be  with  his  blazon' d  deeds, 

Dark  in  its  funeral  fold, 

Let  the  bell  be  toll'd  : 

And  a  deeper  knell  in  the  heart  be  knoll'd  ; 

.ind  the  sound  of  the  sorrowing  anthem  roll'd 

Thro'  the  dome  of  the  golden  cross  ; 

And  the  volleying  cannon  thunder  his  loss  ; 

He  knew  their  voices  of  old. 

For  many  a  time  in  many  a  clime 

His  captain's  ear  has  heard  them  boom, 

Bellowing  victory,  bellowing  doom  : 

When  he  with  those  deep  voices  wrought, 

Guarding  realms  and  kings  from  shame  ; 

With  those  deep  voices  our  dead  captain  taught 

The  tyrant,  and  asserts  his  claim 

In  that  dread  sound  to  the  great  name 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  285 

Which  he  has  worn  so  pure  of  blame, 
In  praise  and  in  dispraise  the  same, 
A  man  of  well-attemper' d  frame. 
O  civic  Muse,  to  such  a  name, 
To  such  a  name  for  ages  long, 
To  such  a  name, 

Preserve  a  broad  approach  of  fame, 
And  ever-echoing  avenues  of  song. 

TENNYSON,  Ode  on  the  Death  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington. 


SUPPRESSED   FEELING. 

"  St !     Don't  make  any  noise  :  he's  asleep." 
«  Walk  softly  :  I  think  they're  listening." 
"  Go  away  !     I  hate  you." 
"  Oh !  I'm  so  tired ;  help  me  along." 

"  How  can  I  tell  him  the  truth  ! 
There  is  no  hope." 

"'Charge,  Chester,  charge!    On,  Stanley,  on!* 
Were  the  last  words  of  Marmion." 

"  O  horror  !  horror  !  horror  ! 
Tongue,  nor  heart,  cannot  conceive,  nor  name  thee  !" 

"  Measureless  liar !  " 

"  Spare  me,  great  God  !    Lift  up  my  drooping  brow  ; 
I  am  content  to  die;  but,  oh,  not  now." 

"  I  pray  you,  give  me  leave  to  go  hence  ; 
I  am  not  well." 

"Dear  master,  I  can  go  no  further:  O,  I  die  for  food!    Here  lie  I 
down,  and  measure  out  my  grave.     Farewell,  kind  master." 

How  ill  this  taper  burns  !    Ha  !  who  comes  here  ? 
I  think  it  is  the  weakness  of  my  eyes 
That  shapes  this  monstrous  apparition. 
It  comes  upon  me.     Art  thou  any  thing? 
Art  thou  some  god,  some  angel,  or  some  devil, 


286  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

That  mak'st  uiy  blood  cold,  and  my  hair  to  stare  ?  — 
Speak  to  me  what  thou  art. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  IV.,  Sc.  iii. 

When  Duncan  is  asleep, 

(Whereto  the  rather  shall  his  day's  hard  journey 
Soundly  invite  him),  his  two  chamberlains 
Will  I  with  wine  and  wassail  so  convince, 
That  memory,  the  warder  of  the  brain, 
Shall  be  a  fume,  and  the  receipt  of  reason 
A  limbeck  only:  when  in  swinish  sleep 
Their  drenched  natures  lie,  as  in  a  death, 
What  cannot  you  and  I  perform  upon 
The  unguarded  Duncan?    What  not  put  upon 
His  spongy  officers,  who  shall  bear  the  guilt 
Of  our  great  quell  ? 

Macbeth,  Act  L,  Sc.  vii. 

On  with  the  dance!  let  joy  be  uncon fined; 
No  sleep  till  morn,  when  Youth  and  Pleasure  meet 
To  chase  the  glowing  Hours  with  flying  feet  — 
But,  hark!  —  that  heavy  sound  breaks  in  once  more, 
As  if  the  clouds  its  echo  would  repeat; 
And  nearer,  clearer,  deadlier  than  before! 
Arm!  arm!  —  it  is! — it  is!  —  the  cannon's  opening  roar. 

BYRON. 

LADY  MACBETH.     Alack!    I  am  afraid  they  have  awak'd, 
And  'tis  not  done.     The  attempt,  and  not  the  deed, 
Confounds  us.     Hark! — I  laid  their  daggers  ready, 
He  could  not  miss  them.  — Had  he  not  resembled 
My  father  as  he  slept,  I  had  done  't.     My  husband  ! 

MACBETH.     I  have  done  the  deed.     Didst  thou  not  hear  a  noise  ? 

LADY  MACBETH.     I  heard  the  owl  scream,  and  the  crickets  cry. 
Did  you  not  speak  ? 

MACBETH.  When  ? 

LADY  MACBETH.  Now. 

MACBETH.  As  I  descended  ? 

LADY  MACBETH.     Ay. 

MACBETH.     Hark  ! 
Who  lies  i'  th'  second  chamber  ? 

LADY  MACBETH.  Donalbain. 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  287 

MACBETH.     This  is  a  sorry  sight.  [Looking  at  his  hands. 

LADY  MACBETH.     A  foolish  thought,  to  say  a  sorry  sight. 

MACBETH.     There's  one  did  laugh  in  's  sleep, 
And  one  cried,  "  Murder  !  "  that  they  did  wake  each  other  ; 
I  stood  and  heard  them  :  but  they  did  say  their  prayers, 
And  addressed  them  again  to  sleep. 

Macbeth,  Act  II.,  Sc.  ii. 


STERN,    SEVERE,    OR    HARSH   FEELING. 

ELIZABETH.     My  Lord  of  Gloucester,  I  have  too  long  borne 
Your  blunt  upbraidings,  and  your  bitter  scoffs  : 
By  heaven,  I  will  acquaint  his  majesty 
Of  those  gross  taunts  I  often  have  endur'd. 
I  had  rather  be  a  country  servant-maid, 
Than  a  great  queen,  with  this  condition,  — 
To  be  thus  taunted,  scorn'd  and  baited  at  : 

Enter  QUEEN  MARGARET,  behind. 

Small  joy  have  I  in  being  England's  queen. 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     And  lessen'd  be  that  small,  God,  I  beseech 

thee  !  — 
Thy  honor,  state  and  seat  is  due  to  me. 

GLOUCESTER.     What!  threat  you  me  with  telling  of  the  king  ? 
Tell  him,  and  spare  not :  look,  what  I  have  said 
I  will  avouch  in  presence  of  the  king  : 
I  dare  adventure  to  be  sent  to  the  Tower. 
'Tis  time  to  speak;  my  pains  are  quite  forgot. 

QUEEN  MARGARET,     Out,  devil!    I  remember  them  too  well: 
Thou  slewest  my  husband  Henry  in  the  Tower, 
And  Edward,  my  poor  son,  at  Tewksbury. 

GLOUCESTER.     Ere  you  were  queen,  ay,  or  your  husband  king, 
I  was  a  pack-horse  in  his  great  affairs  ; 
A  weeder-out  of  his  proud  adversaries, 
A  liberal  re  warder  of  his  friends  : 
To  royalize  his  blood  I  spilt  my  own. 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     Ay,  and  much  better  blood  than  his  or  thine. 

GLOUCESTER.     In  all  which  time  you  and  your  husband  Grey 
Were  factious  for  the  house  of  Lancaster; 
And,  Rivers,  so  were  you.     Was  not  your  husband 
In  Margaret's  battle  at  Saint  Alban's  slain? 


288  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Let  me  put  in  your  minds,  if  you  forget, 

What  you  have  been  ere  now,  and  what  you  are  ; 

Withal,  what  I  have  been,  and  what  I  am. 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     A  murderous  villain,  and  so  still  thou  art. 

GLOUCESTER.     Poor  Clarence  did  forsake  his  father,  Warwick  ; 
Ay,  and  forswore  himself,  —  which  Jesu  pardon  !  — 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     Which  God  revenge  ! 

GLOUCESTER.     To  fight  on  Edward's  party,  for  the  crown  ; 
And  for  his  meed,  poor  lord,  he  is  mew'd  up. 
I  would  to  God  my  heart  were  flint,  like  Edward's  ; 
Or  Edward's  soft  and  pitiful,  like  mine  : 
I  am  too  childish-foolish  for  this  world. 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     Hie  thee  to  hell  for  shame,  and  leave  this 

world, 
Thou  cacodemon!  there  thy  kingdom  is. 

RIVERS.     My  Lord  of  Gloucester,  in  those  busy  days, 
Which  here  you  urge  to  prove  us  enemies, 
We  follow' d  then  our  lord,  our  lawful  king  : 
So  should  we  you,  if  you  should  be  our  king. 

GLOUCESTER.     If  I  should  be!  —  I  had  rather  be  a  peddler: 
Far  be  it  from  my  heart,  the  thought  of  it ! 

QUEEN  ELIZABETH.     As  little  joy,  my  lord,  as  you  suppose 
You  should  enjoy,  were  you  this  country's  king, 
As  little  joy  may  you  suppose  in  me, 
That  I  enjoy,  being  the  queen  thereof. 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     As  little  joy  enjoys  the  queen  thereof; 
For  I  am  she,  and  altogether  joyless. 

I  can  no  longer  hold  me  patient. [Advancing. 

Here  me,  you  wrangling  pirates  that  fall  out 
In  sharing  that  which  you  have  pill'd  from  me  !' 
Which  of  you  trembles  not,  that  looks  on  me .? 
If  not,  that,  I  being  queen,  you  bow  like  subjects, 
Yet  that,  by  you  deposed,  you  quake  like  rebels  ! 
O  gentle  villain,  do  not  turn  away! 

GLOUCESTER.     Foul,  wrinkled  witch,  what  makest   thou  in   my 
sight  ? 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     But  repetition  of  what  thou  hast  marr'd; 
That  will  I  make  before  I  let  thee  go. 

GLOUCESTER.     Wert  thou  not  banished  on  pain  of  death  ? 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     I  was ;  but  I  do  find  more  pain  in  banish^ 
ment. 


STUDIES   IN   EMOTION.  289 


Than  death  can  yield  me  here  by  uiy  abode! 
A  husband  and  a  son  thou  ow'st  to  me  ; 
And  thou,  a  kingdom  ;  all  of  you,  allegiance  : 
The  sorrow  that  I  have,  by  right  is  yours  ; 
And  all  the  pleasures  you  usurp  are  mine. 


HASTINGS.     O,  'twas  the  foulest  deed  to  slay  that  babe, 
And  the  most  merciless,  that  e'er  was  heard  of! 

RIVERS.     Tyrants  themselves  wept  when  it  was  reported. 

DORSET.     No  man  but  prophesied  revenge  for  it. 

BUCKINGHAM.     Northumberland,  then  present,  wept  to  see  it. 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     What,  were  you  snarling  all  before  I  came, 
Ready  to  catch  each  other  by  the  throat, 
And  turn  you  all  your  hatred  now  on  me  ? 
Did  York's  dread  curse  prevail  so  much  with  heaven, 
That  Henry's  death,  my  lovely  Edward's  death, 
Their  kingdom's  loss,  my  woeful  banishment, 
Could  all  but  answer  for  that  peevish  brat  ? 

GLOUCESTER.     Have  done  thy  charm,  thou  hateful  wither'd  hag  ! 

QUEEN  MARGARET.     And    leave   out   thee  ?   stay,  dog,  for  thou 

shalt  hear  me. 

If  heaven  have  any  grievous  plague  in  store 
Exceeding  those  that  I  can  wish  upon  thee, 
O,  let  them  keep  it  till  thy  sins  be  ripe, 
And  then  hurl  down  their  indignation 
On  thee,  the  troubler  of  the  poor  world's  peace  ! 
The  worm  of  conscience  still  begnaw  thy  soul  ! 
Thy  friends  suspect  for  traitors  while  thou  liv'st, 
And  take  deep  traitors  for  thy  dearest  friends  ! 
No  sleep  close  up  that  deadly  eye  of  thine,- 
Unless  it  be  while  some  tormenting  dream 
Affrights  thee  with  a  hell  of  ugly  devils  ! 
Thou  elvish-marked,  abortive,  rooting  hog  ! 
Thou  that  wast  seal'd  in  thy  nativity 
The  slave  of  nature,  and  the  son  of  hell  ! 
Thou  slander  of  thy  mother's  heavy  womb  ! 
Thou  loathed  issue  of  thy  father's  loins  ! 
Thou  rag  of  honor!  thou  detested  — 

GLOUCESTER.     Margaret. 

QUEEN  MARGARET.  Richard  I 


290  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

GLOUCESTER.  Ha! 

QUEEN  MARGARET.  I  call  thee  not. 

GLOUCESTER.     I  cry  thee  mercy,  then;  for  I  did  think 
That  thou  hadst  called  me  all  these  bitter  names. 

Richard  the  Third,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iii. 

"  Batter  their  walls  down,  raze  them  to  the  ground." 

"  Mend,  and  change  home, 
Or  by  the  fires  of  heaven,  I'll  leave  the  foe, 
And  make  me  wars  on  you:  look  to  't :  Come  on!" 

"  *  Curse  on  him!'  quoth  false  Sextus  : 
4  Will  not  the  villain  drown  ? 
But  for  this  stay,  ere  close  of  day 
We  should  have  sacked  the  town!'" 

Never,  lago.     Like  to  the  Pontic  Sea, 

Whose  icy  current  and  compulsive  course 

Ne'er  feels  retiring  ebb,  but  keeps  due  on 

To  the  Propontic  and  the  Hellespont, 

Even  so  my  bloody  thoughts,  witta  violent  pace, 

Shall  ne'er  look  back,  ne'er  ebb  to  humble  love, 

Till  that  a  capable  and  wide  revenge 

Swallow  them  up.     Now,  by  yond'  marble  heavei 

In  the  due  reverence  of  a  sacred  vow 

I  here  engage  my  words. 

Othello,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii! 

SHYLOCK.     Jailer,  look  to  him:  tell  not  me  of  mercy. — 
This  is  the  fool  that  lent  out  money  gratis.— 
Jailer,  look  to  him. 

ANTONIO.  Hear  me  yet,  good  Shylock. 

SHYLOCK.     I'll  have  my  bond  ;  speak  not  against  my  bond: 
I've  sworn  an  oath  that  I  will  have  my  bond. 
Thou  call'dst  me  dog  before  thou  hadst  a  cause; 
But,  since  I  am  a  dog,  beware  my  fangs : 
The  duke  shall  grant  me  justice.  —  I  do  wonder, 
Thou  naughty  jailer,  that  thou  art  so  fond 
To  come  abroad  with  him  at  his  request. 

ANTONIO.     I  pray  thee,  hear  me  speak. 

SHYLOCK.     I'll  have  my  bond;  I  will  not  hear  thee  speak: 
I'll  have  my  bond;  and  therefore  speak  no  more. 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  291 

I'll  not  be  made  a  soft  and  dull-eyed  fool, 
To  shake  the  head,  relent,  arid  sigh,  and  yield 
To  Christian  intercessors.     Follow  not ; 
I'll  have  no  speaking :  I  will  have  my  bond. 

Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  III.,  Sc.  iii. 

Blow  winds,  and  crack  your  cheeks  !  rage  !  blow  ! 

You  cataracts  and  hurricanes,  spout 

Till  you  have  drench'd  our  steeples,  drown'd  the  cocks! 

You  sulphurous  and  thought-executing  fires, 

Vaunt  couriers  to  oak-cleaving  thunderbolts, 

Singe  my  white  head  !     And  thou,  all-shaking  thunder, 

Strike  flat  the  thick  rotundity  o'  the  world  ! 

Crack  Nature's  molds,  all  germens  spill  at  once, 

That  make  ungrateful  man  ! 

King  Lear,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii. 

Him  the  Almighty  Power 

Hurled  headlong  flaming  from  th'  ethereal  sky, 
With  hideous  ruin  and  combustion,  down 
To  bottomless  perdition;  there  to  dwell 
In  adamantine  chains  and  penal  fire, 
Who  durst  defy  th'  Omnipotent  to  arms. 

MILTON,  Paradise  Lost. 


OPPRESSED    OR    COVERED    FEELING. 

HAMLET.     Angels  and  ministers  of  grace  defend  us!  — 
Be  thou  a  spirit  of  health  or  goblin  damn'd; 
Bring  with  thee  airs  from  Heaven  or  blasts  from  Hell ; 
Be  thy  intents  wicked  or  charitable  ; 
Thou  com'st  in  such  a  questionable  shape, 
That  I  will  speak  to  thee  :  .  .  . 

Hamlet,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iv. 

It  stood  still,  but  I  could  not  discern  the  appearance  thereof  ;  a 
form  was  before  mine  eyes  :  there  was  silence,  and  I  heard  a  voice, 
saying,  Shall  mortal  man  be  more  just  than  God  ?  shall  a  man  be 
more  pure  than  his  Maker?  —  Job  iv.  16,  17. 


292  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

And  men  shall  go  into  the  caves  of  the  rocks,  and  into  the  holes 
of  the  earth,  from  before  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory 
of  his  majesty,  when  he  ariseth  to  shake  mightily  the  earth.  —  Isa. 
ii.  19. 

And  he  said,  Go  forth,  and  stand  upon  the  mount  before  the 
Lord.  And,  behold,  the  Lord  passed  by,  and  a  great  and  strong 
wind  rent  the  mountains,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  rocks  before  the 
Lord ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  wind :  and  after  the  wind  an 
earthquake  ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  earthquake  :  And  after  the 
earthquake  a  fire  ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  fire  :  and  after  the 
fire  a  still  small  voice.  And  it  was  so,  when  Elijah  heard  it,  that 
he  wrapped  his  face  in  his  mantle,  and  went  out,  and  stood  in  the 
entering  in  of  the  cave.  And,  behold,  there  came  a  voice  unto  him, 
and  said,  What  doest  thou  here,  Elijah  ?  —  1  Kings  xix.  11-13. 

HAMLET.     To  be,  or  not  to  be,  —  that  is  the  question : 
Whether  'tis  nobler  in  the  mind  to  suffer 
The  slings  and  arrows  of  outrageous  fortune, 
Or  to  take  arms  against  a  sea  of  troubles, 
And  by  opposing  end  them  ?    To  die,  —  to  sleep,  — 
No  more ;  and  by  a  sleep  to  say  we  end 
The  heart-ache,  and  the  thousand  natural  shocks 
That  flesh  is  heir  to,  —  'tis  a  consummation 
Devoutly  to  be  wish'd.     To  die,  —  to  sleep  ;  — 
To  sleep!  perchance  to  dream!  — ay,  there's  the  rub; 
For  in  that  sleep  of  death  what  dreams  may  come 
When  we  have  shuffled  off  this  mortal  coil, 
Must  give  us  pause:  there's  the  respect 
That  makes  calamity  of  so  long  life ; 
For  who  would  bear  the  whips  and  scorns  of  time, 
Th'  oppressor's  wrong,  the  proud  man's  contumely, 
The  pangs  of  disprized  love,  the  law's  delay, 
The  insolence  of  office,  and  the  spurns 
That  patient  merit  of  th'  unworthy  takes, 
When  he  himself  might  his  quietus  made 
With  a  bare  bodkin  ?  who  would  fardels  bear, 
To  grunt  and  sweat  under  a  weary  life, 
But  that  the  dread  of  something  after  death,  — 
The  undiscover'd  country  from  whose  bourn 
Ko  traveler  returns,  —  puzzles  the  will, 


STUDIES   IN  EMOTION.  293 

And  makes  us  rather  bear  those  ills  we  have 
Than  fly  to  others  that  we  know  not  of  ? 
Thus  conscience  does  make  cowards  of  us  all ; 
And  thus  the  native  hue  of  resolution 
Is  sicklied  o'er  with  the  pale  cast  of  thought ; 
And  enterprises  of  great  pith  and  moment 
With  this  regard  their  currents  turn  awry, 
And  lose  the  name  of  action. 

Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  i. 

KING.     O,  my  offense  is  rank,  it  smells  to  Heaven  ; 
It  hath  the  primal  eldest  curse  upon't, 
A  brother's  murder!     Pray  can  I  not : 
Though  inclination  be  as  sharp  as  will, 
My  stronger  guilt  defeats  my  strong  intent ; 
And,  like  a  man  to  double  business  bound, 
1  stand  in  pause  where  I  shall  first  begin, 
And  both  neglect.     What  if  this  cursed  hand 
Were  thicker  than  itself  with  brother's  blood, 
Is  there  not  rain  enough  in  the  sweet  Heavens 
To  wash  it  white  as  snow  ?     Whereto  serves  mercy 
But  to  confront  the  visage  of  offense  ? 
And  what's  in  prayer  but  this  twofold  force,  — 
To  be  forestalled  ere  we  come  to  fall, 
Or  pardon'd  being  down  ?     Then  I'll  look  up  ; 
My  fault  is  past.     But,  O,  what  form  of  prayer 
Can  serve  my  turn  ?     Forgive  me  my  foul  murder  f 
That  cannot  be;  since  I  am  still  possess'd 
Of  these  effects  for  which  I  did  the  murder, 
My  crown,  mine  own  ambition,  and  my  Queen. 
May  one  be  pardoned  and  retain  th'  offense  ?  .  .  . 

Hamlet,  Act  III.,  Sc.  lit 


AGITATED   FEELING. 

The  king  stood  still 

Till  the  last  echo  died;  then,  throwing  off 
The  sackcloth  from  his  brow,  and  laying  back 
The  pall  from  the  still  features  of  his  child, 
He  bowed  his  head  upon  him,  and  broke  forth 
In  the  resistless  eloquence  of  woe: 


294  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

"Alas!  my  noble  boy!  that  thou  shouldst  die! 

Thou  who  wert  made  so  beautifully  fair! 
That  death  should  settle  in  thy  glorious  eye, 

And  leave  his  stillness  in  this  clustering  hairi 
How  could  he  mark  thee  for  the  silent  tomb, 
My  proud  boy,  Absalom! 

"Cold  is  thy  brow,  my  son!  and  I  am  chill 

As  to  my  bosom  I  have  tried  to  press  thee  ! 

How  was  I  wont  to  feel  my  pulses  thrill 

Like  a  rich  harp-string  yearning  to  caress  thee, 

And  hear  thy  sweet  '  my  father! '    from  those  dumb 
And  cold  lips,  Absalom! 

"But  death  is  on  thee!  I  shall  hear  the  gush 
Of  music,  and  the  voices  of  the  young; 

And  life  will  pass  me  in  the  mantling  blush, 

And  the  dark  tresses  to  the  soft  winds  flung  ;  — 

But  thou  no  more,  with  thy  swoet  voice,  shalt  come 
To  meet  me,  Absalom! 

"And  oh!  when  I  am  stricken,  and  my  heart, 

Like  a  bruised  reed,  is  waiting  to  be  broken, 
How  will  its  love  for  thee,  as  I  depart, 

Yearn  for  thine  ear  to  drink  its  last  deep  token! 
It  were  so  sweet,  amid  death's  gathering  gloom, 
To  see  thee,  Absalom  !" 

N".  P.  WILLIS,  David1  s  Lament  over  Absalom. 

ANTONY.     O,  pardon  me,  thou  bleeding  piece  of  earth. 
That  I  am  meek  and  gentle  with  these  butchers! 
Thou  art  the  ruins  of  the  noblest  man 
That  ever  lived  in  the  tide  of  times. 
Woe  to  the  hands  that  shed  this  costly  blood! 
Over  thy  wounds  now  do  I  prophesy,  — 
Which,  like  dumb  mouths,  do  ope  their  ruby  lips, 
To  beg  the  voice  and  utterance  of  my  tongue. 

Julius  Coisar,  Act  III.,  Sc.  i. 

LEAR.     You  Heavens,  give  me  patience,  —  patience  I 

need!  — 

You  see  me  here,  you  gods,  a  poor  old  man, 
As  full  of  grief  as  age;  wretched  in  both! 
If  it  be  you  that  stir  these  daughters'  hearts 


STUDIES  IN  EMOTION.  205 

Against  their  father,  fool  me  not  so  much 

To  bear  it  tamely  ;  touch  me  with  noble  anger ; 

And  let  not  women's  weapons,  water-drops, 

Stain  my  man's  cheeks!  —  No,  you  unnatural  hags, 

I  will  have  such  revenges  on  you  both, 

That  all  the  world  shall  —  I  will  do  such  things,  — 

What  they  are,  yet  I  know  not  ;  but  they  shall  be 

The  terrors  of  the  earth.     You  think  I'll  weep  ; 

No,  I'll  not  weep: 

I  have  full  cause  of  weeping  ;  but  this  heart 

Shall  break  into  a  hundred  thousand  flaws, 

Or  e'er  I'll  weep.  — O  Fool,  I  shall  go  mad! 

King  Lear,  Act  II.,  Sc.  iv. 

GRATIANO.     Let  me  play  the  fool : 
With  mirth  and  laughter  let  old  wrinkles  come, 
And  let  my  liver  rather  heat  with  wine 
Than  my  heart  cool  with  mortifying  groans. 
Why  should  a  man,  whose  blood  is  warm  within, 
Sit  like  his  grandsire  cut  in  alabaster? 
Sleep  when  he  wakes  and  creep  into  the  jaundice 
By  being  peevish  ?     I  tell  thee  what,  Antonio  — 
I  love  thee,  and  it  is  my  love  that  speaks  — 
There  are  a  sort  of  men  whose  visages 
Do  cream  and  mantle  like  a  standing  pond, 
And  do  a  willful  stillness  entertain, 
With  purpose  to  be  dress' d  in  an  opinion 
Of  wisdom,  gravity,  profound  conceit, 
As  who  should  say,  "  I  am  Sir  Oracle, 
And  when  I  ope  my  lips  let  no  dog  bark! " 
O  my  Antonio,  I  do  know  of  these 
That  therefore  only  are  reputed  wise 
For  saying  nothing,  who,  I  am  very  sure, 
If  they  should  speak,  would  almost  damn  those  ears 
Which,  hearing  them,  would  call  their  brothers,  fools. 
I'll  tell  thee  more  of  this  another  time: 
But  fish  not,  with  this  melancholy  bait, 
For  this  fool  gudgeon,  this  opinion. 
Come,  good  Lorenzo.     Fare  ye  well  awhile: 
I'll  end  my  exhortation  after  dinner. 

The  Merchant  of  Venice ,  Act  I.,  Sc.  i. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

STUDIES    LN    VOLITION. 
ENERGY    OF    ABRUPTNESS. 

THIS  kind  of  energy  marks  all  forms  of  animated 
utterance.  It  is  the  result  of  the  normal  action  of  the. 
vocal  chords,  which,  coming  together  previous  to  syllabic 
impulses,  suddenly  part,  causing  a  slight  degree  of  explo- 
sion. Hence  the  term  abruptness.  Absence  of  this  form 
of  energy  gives  the  delivery  a  kind  of  drawling  effect. 
It  is  further  to  be  noted  that  even  in  those  utterances 
characterized  by  other  forms  of  energy,  this  form  yet 
manifests  itself  on  most  of  the  syllables.  After  the  stu- 
dent has  practiced  the  other  forms  of  stress,  he  will  better 
understand  this  remark.  He  will  have  noticed  that  the 
other  forms  are  significant  just  in  so  far  as  they  differ 
from  this  "abrupt"  one,  which  is  the  normal;  and,  further, 
that  because  the  energy  of  abruptness  is  the  normal,  the 
expression  of  other  forms  of  energy  on  a  comparatively 
few  (emphatic)  syllables  will  give  a  very  significant  col- 
oring to  a  whole  paragraph. 

The  student  should  guard  against  over-developing  this 
abruptness.  If  he  does  not,  his  delivery  will  be  very 
likely  to  become  explosive,  and  hence  he  will  create  the 
impression  of  being  too  dogmatic.  On  the  other  hand, 
slovenliness  and  drawling  may  be  overcome  by  drilling 

296 


STUDIES  IN   VOLITION.  297 

on  this  element  of  expression,  and  much  vitality  will 
thereby  be  imparted  to  the  speaking. 

All  speech,  then,  has  this  abrupt  character.  It  has  be- 
come so  familiar  to  us  that  we  do  not  notice  it  except 
when  it  is  absent,  when  the  delivery  becomes  drawling  or 
slovenly-.  Hencejwe  can  say  that  the  sign  of  the  energy 
of  abruptness  in  its  milder  forms  is  not  essentially  expres- 
sive ;  it  is  an  inherent  part  of  our  vocal  production.  It 
becomes  expressive  only  in  its  stronger  forms.  The  stu- 
dent whose  delivery  is  sufficiently  vital  need  not  practice 
on  the  milder  form.  Where  it  is  not,  let  him  drill  on  the 
examples  under  "  Earnestness  "  and  "  Normal  Feeling." 

It  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  there  are  different 
degrees  of  energy  as  well  as  kinds.  Professor  Raymond 
truly  says,  "Never  confuse  the  kind  of  stress  with  the 
degree."  To  illustrate :  the  decided  stroke  of  the  voice 
is  heard  in,  — 

"Come,  and  trip  it  as  ye  go 
On  the  light  fantastic  toe;" 

but  a  strong  attack  would  spoil  the  daintiness.  Let  us 
remember  that  a  grain  of  gunpowder  explodes  as  well  as  a 
ton.  This  admonition  applies  as  well  to  other  forms  of 
stress. 

It  has  been  urged,  that  if  the  claim  is  true  that  the 
complete  assimilation  of  the  thought  and  feeling  will, 
through  practice,  lead  to  adequate  expression,  why  bother 
the  student  with  such  drills  as  these?  The  answer  is 
plain.  One's  temperament  may  be  of  such  a  nature  that 
he  cannot  express  a  single  sentence  without,  say,  the 
greatest  insistency.  The  insistency,  I  say,  is  tempera- 
mental, and  it  shows  in  everything  the  speaker  does.  By 


298  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

a  careful  study  of  "  Volition,"  he  is  introduced  to  his  own 
consciousness,  soon  recognizes  his  weakness,  and  his  de- 
livery is  improved  through  improving  his  mental  action. 
If  this  is  true  for  the  creative  speaker,  the  orator,  how 
much  more  is  it  true  of  him  who  reads  or  recites  the  words 
of  another. 

A  few  years  ago  a  well-known  minister  spoke  these 
words :  "  You  may  read  the  tragedies  of  Sophocles,  and 
the  philosophy  of  Plato  and  Aristotle ;  you  may  be  fa- 
miliar with  the  lore  of  the  Hindus  and  the  Brahmins  ; 
you  may  know  your  Shakespeare,  your  Milton,  and  your 
Dante,  your  Wordsworth,  your  Browning,  and  your  Ten- 
nyson, but  [raising  aloft  a  limp-covered  Bible]  it's  all 
here  !  "  And  he  brought  the  book  down  on  the  palm  of 
his  hand  with  a  thwack  that  was  heard  throughout  the 
building.  He  fairly  exploded  on  "all  here,"  and  the  con- 
gregation laughed.  Paraphrased,  his  stress  said,  I--I 
who  know  what  I'm  talking  about,  tell  you  people  —  deny 
it  if  you  can  —  it's  all  here.  There  was  no  appeal,  no 
tenderness,  no  gentle  persuasiveness.  His  purpose  ought 
to  have  been  (to  avoid  argument,  let  it  be  said  that  the 
context  justifies  this  remark  —  he  was  appealing  for  a  more 
careful  and  reverential  study  of  the  Bible)  to  express, 
Oh,  my  friends,  this  holy  work,  this  revelation  of  God's 
goodness,  contains  all  you  need.  Why  not  take  it  up, 
and  study  it  ?  You  read  all  literatures ;  will  you  not 
read  this  too  ?  The  trouble  was  that  the  preacher,  be- 
ing naturally  of  an  aggressive  nature,  lost  sight  of  his 
final  purpose,  and  spoiled  what  might  have  been  a  very 
effective  appeal,  by  obtruding  himsel'f  between  his  illustra- 
tion and  his  audience.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  state  that 
the  speaker's  attention  was  called  to  this  ;  and  he  admitted 


STUDIES  IN    VOLITION.  299' 

the  justice  of  the  criticism,  while  disclaiming  all  knowledge 
of  what  he  had  done,  and  how  he  had  done  it. 

This  illustrates  the  contention.  He  had  had  no  idea 
that  he  had  become  so  assertive  that  he  virtually  said,  / 
tell  you  so,  on  every  emphatic  word.  A  study  of  "  Voli- 
tion "  would  certainly  have  helped  him. 

In  the  Orator's  Manual  the  author  sums  up  this  matter 
of  abrupt  energy  thus  :  "  The  [energy  of  abruptness]  is  ex- 
erted on  account  of  a  subjective  .  .  .  motive ;  in  other 
words,  because  a  man  desires  chiefly  to  express  an  idea  on 
his  own  account.  ...  In  [this]  case  the  sound  bursts 
forth  abruptly,  as  if  the  man  were  conscious  of  nothing 
but  his  own  organs  to  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  his 
object."  .  .  .  "  It  is  used  whenever  one's  main  wish  is  to 
express  himself  so  as  to  be  distinctly  understood.  In  its 
mildest  form  it  serves  to  render  articulation  clear  and 'ut- 
terance precise ;  when  stronger,  it  indicates  bold  and  ear- 
nest assurance,  positiveness,  and  dictation."  .  .  .  "Without 
[this]  stress  gentleness  becomes  an  inarticulate  and  timid 
drawl,  and  vehemence  mere  brawling  bombast.  With  too 
frequent  use  of  it,  one's  delivery  becomes  characterized  by 
an  appearance  of  self-assertion,  assurance,  or  preciseness." 
In  other  words,  it  is  the  /stress. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  here  that  there  are  certain 
writers  who  hold  that  the  study  of  stress  is  mislead- 
ing, or  at  best  useless.  To  these  the  answer  has  been 
made  in  Part  I.  It  should  be  added,  however,  that  music 
uses  these  stresses  very  much  in  the  sense  in  which  they 
are  used  here.  The  attack  necessary  for  pure  singing 
or  instrumental  tone  is  our  initial  (normal)  stress.  The 
"  staccato  "  and  "  sforzando  "  are  more  intense  forms  of 
this  stress.  The  "crescendo,"  "diminuendo,"  and  "swell" 


300  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

are  respectively  equivalent  to  "final,"  prolonged  "initial," 
and  "  median"  stresses. 

In  conclusion  the  student  is  again  reminded  never  to 
practice  on  the  mere  form.  Let  him  be  sure  to  feel  the 
various  kinds  of  energy  and  then  express  them.  It  may 
also  be  well  to  add  that  expressive  stress  of  any  kind  will 
appear  only  on  the  accented  syllables  of  emphatic  words. 
At  the  beginning  the  student  is  likely  to  overdo  his  stress, 
and  hence  this  admonition  must  be  borne  in  mind. 

"  Are  you  ready  ?     Go  !  " 

"  Carry  —  Arms. 
Present  —  Arms. 
Right  about  —  face. 
Halt." 

"  Stop,  don't  take  another  step." 
» 
"  Give  me  that  pencil ;  it's  mine." 

"  Leave  the  room,  sir." 
"  One,  two,  three,  fire." 

"Back!  beardless  boy! 

Back!  minion!     Holdst  thou  thus  at  naught 
The  lesson  1  so  lately  taught?" 

"Man,  who  art  thou  who  dost  deny  my  words?" 

But  in  the  gloom  they  fought,  with  bloodshot  eyes 
And  laboring  breath;  first  Rustum  struck  the  shield 
Which  Sohrab  held  stiff  out;  the  steel-spiked  spear 
Rent  the  tough  plates,  but  fail'd  to  reach  the  skin, 
And  Rustum  pluck'd  it  back  with  angry  groan. 
Then  Sohrab  with  his  sword  smote  Rustum's  helm, 
Nor  clove  its  steel  quite  through  ;  but  all  the  crest 
He  shore  away,  and  that  proud  horsehair  plume, 
Never  till  now  defiled,  sank  to  the  dust. 

M.  ARNOLD.  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 


STUDIES  IN   VOLITION.  303 

He  spoke,  and  Rustum  answer'd  not,  but  hurl'd 
His  spear;  down  from  the  shoulder,  down  it  came, 
As  on  some  partridge  in  the  corn  a  hawk, 
That  long  has  tower' d  in  the  airy  clouds, 
Drops  like  a  plummet;  Sohrab  saw  it  come, 
And  sprang  aside,  quick  as  a  flash;  the  spear 
Hiss'd,  and  went  quivering  down  into  the  sand, 
Which  it  sent  flying  wide ;  —  then  Sohrab  threw 
In  turn,  and  full  struck  Rustum' s  shield;  sharp  rang, 
The  iron  plates  rang  sharp,  but  turn'd  the  spear. 
And  Rustum  seized  his  club,  which  none  but  he 
Could  wield.  M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Biistum. 

Girl  !  nimble  with  thy  feet,  not  with  thy  hands  ! 
Curl'd  minion,  dancer,  coiner  of  sweet  words  ! 
Fight,  let  me  hear  thy  hateful  voice  no  more 

Ibid. 

Thou  art  not  in  Afrasiab's  garden  now 
With  Tartar  girls,  with  whom  thou  art  wont  to  dance  ; 
But  onlhe  Oxus  sands,  and  in  the  dance 
Of  battle,  and  with  me,  who  make  no  play 
Of  war  ;  I  fight  it  out,  and  hand  to  hand. 
Speak  not  to  me  of  truce,  and  pledge,  and  wine  ! 
Remember  all  thy  valor  ;  try  thy  feints 
And  cunning  !  all  the  pity  I  had  is  gone  ; 
Because  thou  hast  shamed  me  before  both  the  hosts 
With  thy  light  skipping  tricks,  and  thy  girl's  wiles. 

Ibid. 

The  armaments  which  thunderstrike  the  walls  of  rock-built  cities, 

Bidding  nations  quake,  and  monarchs  tremble  in  their  capitals  ; 

The  oak  leviathans,  whose  huge  ribs  make  their  clay  creator 

The  vain  title  take  of  lord  of  thee,  and  arbiter  of  war,  — 

These  are  thy  toys  ;  and  as  the  snowy  flake  they  melt  into  thy  yeast 

of  waves, 
Which  mar  alike  the  Armada's  pride,  or  spoils  of  Trafalgar. 

BYRON. 

She  mounts  her  chariot  with  a  trice, 
Nor  would  she  stay  for  no  advice, 
Until  her  maids,  that  were  so  nice, 

To  wait  on  her  were  fitted. 
But  ran  herself  away  alone  ; 
Which  when  they  heard,  there  was  not  one 


MEN  TA  L    TECHNIQ  UE. 

But  hasted  after  to  be  gone, 
As  she  had  been  diswitted. 

Hop,  and  Mop,  and  Drap  so  clear, 
Pip,  and  Trip,  and  Ship,  that  were 
To  Mab  their  sovereign  dear, 

Her  special  maids  of  honor  ; 
Fib,  and  Tib,  and  Pinck,  and  Pin, 
Tick,  and  Quick,  and  Jill,  and  Jin, 
Tit,  and  Nit,  and  Wap,  and  Win, 

The  train  that  wait  upon  her. 

Upon  a  grasshopper  they  got, 

And  what  with  amble  and  with  trot, 

For  hedge  nor  ditch  they  spared  not, 

But  after  her  they  hie  them. 
A  cobweb  over  them  they  throw, 
To  shield  the  wind  if  it  should  blow, 
Themselves  they  wisely  could  bestow, 

Lest  any  should  espy  them. 

DBAYTOX,  Queen  Mab. 

Now  shalt  thou,  Hector,  singly  matched  with  me, 
Learn  by  what  chiefs  the  Achaian  host  is  led 
Besides  Achilles,  mighty  though  he  be 
To  break  through  squadrons,  and  of  lion-heart. 
Still  in  the  beaked  ships  in  which  he  crossed 
The  sea  he  cherishes  his  wrath  against 
The  shepherd  of  the  people, —  Atreus'  son. 
But  we  have  those  that  dare  defy  thee  yet, 
And  they  are  many.     Let  the  fight  begin. 

The  Iliad. 

O  boastful  ones,  no  longer  to  be  called 
Greek  warriors,  but  Greek  women!   a  disgrace 
Grievous  beyond  all  others  will  be  ours, 
If  none  be  found  in  all  the  Achaian  host 
To  meet  this  Hector.     May  you,  every  one, 
There  where  ye  now  are  sitting,  turn  to  earth 
And  water,  craven  as  ye  are,  and  lost 
To  sense  of  glory!     I  will  arm  myself 
For  this  encounter.     With  the  immortal  gods 
Alone  it  rests  to  give  the  victory. 

Ibid. 


STUDIES   IN    VOLITION.  303 

You  common  cry  of  curs  !  whose  breath  I  hate 
As  reek  o'  the  rotten  fens,  —  whose  loves  I  prize 
As  the  dead  carcasses  of  unburied  men, 
That  do  corrupt  my  air, —  I  banish  you! 

Coriolanus,  Act  III.,  Sc.  iii. 

Hear,  all  ye  gods  and  all  ye  goddesses  ! 
While  I  declare. the  thought  within  my  breast. 
Let  none  of  either  sex  presume  to  break 
The  law  I  give,  but  cheerfully  obey, 
That  my  design  may  sooner  be  fulfilled. 
Whoever,  stealing  from  the  rest,  shall  seek 
To  aid  the  Grecian  cause,  or  that  of  Troy, 
Pack  to  Olympus,  scourged  and  in  disgrace, 
Shall  he  be  brought,  or  I  will  seize  and  hurl 
The  offender  down  to  rayless  Tartarus, 
Deep,  deep,  in  the  great  gulf  below  the  earth, 
With  iron  gates  and  threshold  forged  of  brass, 
As  far  beneath  the  shades  as  earth  from  heaven. 
Then  shall  he  learn  how  greatly  I  surpass 
All  other  gods  in  power. 

The  Iliad. 

He  spake,  and,  brandishing  his  ponderous  lance, 

Hurled  it  ;   and  on  the  outer  plate  of  brass, 

Which  covered  the  seven  bullock-hides,  it  struck 

The  shield  of  Ajax.     Through,  the  brass  and  through 

Six  folds  of  hides  the  irresistible  spear 

Cut  its  swift  way,  and  at  the  seventh  was  stopped. 

Then  high-born  Ajax  cast  his  massive  spear 

In  turn,  and  drove  it  through  the  fair,  round  shield 

Of  Priam's  son.     Through  the  bright  buckler  went 

The  rapid  weapon,  pierced  the  well-wrought  mail,' 

And  tore  the  linen  tunic  at  the  flank. 

But  Hector  stooped  and  thus  avoided  death. 

They  took  their  spears  again,  and,  coming  close, 

Like  lions  in  their  hunger,  or  wild  boars 

Of  fearful  strength,  joined  battle.     Priam's  son 

Sent  his  spear  forward,  striking  in  the  midst 

The  shield  of  Ajax,  but  it  broke  not  through 

The  brass;  the  metal  turned  the  weapon's  point. 

While  Ajax,  springing  onward,  smote  the  shield 

Of  Hector,  drave  his  weapon  through,  and  checked 


304  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

His  enemy's  swift  advance,  and  wounded  him 
Upon  the  shoulder,  and  the  black  blood  flowed. 

The  Iliad. 

And  underneath  another  sun 

Warring  on  a  later  day, 

Round  affrighted  Lisbon  drew 

The  treble  works,  the  vast  designs 

Of  his  labor'd  rampart  lines, 

Where  he  greatly  stood  at  bay, 

Whence  he  issued  forth  anew, 

And  ever  great  and  greater  grew, 

Beating  from  the  wasted  vines 

Back  to  France  her  banded  swarms, 

Back  to  France  with  countless  blows, 

Till  o'er  the  hills  her  eagles  flew 

Beyond  the  Pyrenean  pines, 

Follow'd  up  in  valley  and  glen 

With  blare  of  bugle,  clamor  of  men, 

Roll  of  cannon  and  clash  of  arms, 

And  England  pouring  on  her  foes. 

TENNYSON,  Ode  on  the  Death  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington. 


ENERGY    OF    INSISTENCE. 

Of  the  vocal  symbol  (Final  Stress)  of  the  energy  of 
insistence,  Professor  Raymond  says :  "  It  is  exerted  on  ac- 
count of  an  objective  idea.  The  sound  is  pushed  forth 
gradually,  as  if  the  man  were  conscious  of  outside  opposi- 
tion, and  of  the  necessity  of  pressing  his  point.  It  is  used 
whenever  one's  main  wish  is  to  impress  his  thoughts  on 
others.  It  gives  utterance,  in  its  weakest  form,  to  the 
whine  or  complaint  of  mere  peevishness  demanding  con- 
sideration; when  stronger  to  a  pushing  earnestness  or 
determination ;  in  its  stronger  form,  to  a  desire  to  cause 
others  to  feel  one's  own  astonishment,  scorn,  or  horror. 
Without  final  stress  there  can  be  no  representation  of 


STUDIES  IN    VOLITION.  305 

childish  weakness  or  obstinacy,  or  of  ...  resolution ; 
used  too  exclusively,  or  excessively,  it  causes  delivery  to 
be  characterized  by  an  appearance  of  willfulness,  depriv- 
ing it  of  the  qualities  of  persuasion  that  appeal  to  the 
sympathies." 

A  very  little  of  final  stress  will  give  a  decided  coloring 
to  the  delivery.  The  student  should  be  careful,  therefore, 
not  to  overdo  it.  To  illustrate :  A  speaker  is  urging  the 
colonists  to  abandon  the  idea  of  war,  claiming  that  they 
were  weak,  and  so  on.  Patrick  Henry  rises  and  says,  "  Sir, 
we  are  not  weak  if  we  make  a  proper  use  of  those  means 
which  the  God  of  nature  hath  placed  in  our  power.  Three 
millions  of  people  armed  in  the  holy  cause  of  liberty,  and 
in  such  a  country  as  that  which  we  possess,  are  invincible 
by  any  force  which  our  enemy  can  send  against  us."  On 
the  word  "not"  the  speaker  is  plainly  pushing  aside  the 
argument  of  his  opponent.  When  he  utters  "  liberty  "  we 
note  again  the  insistent  idea.  He  tells  us  by  his  stress, 
Other  revolutions  may  have  failed  through  lack  of  num- 
bers, but  the  gentleman  forgets  that  ours  will  be  a  strug- 
gle for  liberty.  Again,  in  "  we,"  "invincible,"  and  "any" 
we  plainly  discern  the  idea  of  overcoming  opposition. 

Now,  it  must  be  clear  that  while  it  is  only  on  the  five 
words  italicized  we  note  the  insistence,  yet  the  whole 
statement  is  strongly  tinged  thereby. 

« I  won't ! " 

"  No,  sir ;  I  am  not  guilty." 

"  Away,  slight  man  !  " 

«  Must  /  budge  ?     Must  /  observe  you  ?  " 

"I  am  astonished,  shocked,  to  hear  such  principles  avowed  in 
this  house." 


306  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

"CASSius.     Ye  gods  !  ye  gods  !     Must  I  endure  all  this? 
BRUTUS.     All  this  ?     Ay,  more." 

SHYLOCK.     May  I  speak  with  Antonio  ? 

BASSANIO.     If  it  please  you  to  dine  with  us. 

SHYLOCK.     Yes,  to  smell  pork  ;  to  eat  of  the  habitation  which 
your  prophet  the  Nazarite  conjured  the  Devil  into.     I  will  buy  with 
you,  sell  with  you,  talk  with  you,  walk  with  you,  and  so  following; 
but  I  will  not  eat  with  you,  drink  with  you,  nor  pray  with  you. 
The  Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iii. 

SALARINO.     Why,  I  am  sure,  if  he  forfeit,  thou  wilt  not  take 
his  flesh  :  What's  that  good  for  ? 

SHYLOCK.  To  bait  fish  withal :  if  it  will  feed  nothing  else,  it 
will  feed  my  revenge.  He  hath  disgraced  me,  arid  hinder'd  me  half 
a  million  :  laugh'd  at  my  losses,  mock'd  at  my  gains,  scorned  my 
nation,  thwarted  my  bargains,  cooled  my  friends,  heated  mine  ene- 
mies ;  and  what's  his  reason  ?  I  am  a  Jew.  Hath  not  a  Jew  eyes  ? 
hath  not  a  Jew  hands,  organs,  dimensions,  senses,  affections,  pas- 
sions? fed  with  the  same  food,  hurt  with  the  same  weapons,  subject 
to  the  same  diseases,  healed  by  the  same  means,  warmed  and  cooled 
by  the  same  winter  and  summer,  as  a  Christian  is  ?  If  you  prick 
us,  do  we  not  bleed?  if  you  tickle  us,  do  we  not  laugh  ?  if  you  poison 
us,  do  we  not  die?  and  if  you  wrong  us,  shall  we  not  revenge? 
The  Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  III.,  Sc.  i. 

You've  set  me  talking,  sir  ;  I'm  sorry  ; 
It  makes  me  wild  to  think  of  the  change  ! 
What  do  you  care  for  a  beggar's  story  ? 
Is  it  amusing  ?  you  find  it  strange  ? 
I  had  a  mother  so  proud  of  me  ! 
'Twas  well  she  died  before  —  Do  you  know 
If  the  happy  spirits  in  heaven  can  see 
The  ruin  and  wretchedness  here  below  ? 

TROWBIUDGE. 

I'll  have  my  bond  ;  I  will  not  hear  thee  speak. 
I'll  have  my  bond  ;  and  therefore  speak  no  more. 
I'll  not  be  made  a  soft  and  dull-eyed  fool, 
To  shake  the  head,  relent,  and  sign,  and  yield 


STUDIES  IN    VOLITION.  307 

To  Christian  intercessors.     Follow  not, 

I'll  have  no  speaking  !     I  will  have  my  bond. 

The  Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii. 

WORCESTER.  Those  same  noble  Scots, 

That  are  your  prisoners,  — 

HOTSPUR.  I'll  keep  them  all ; 

By  heaven,  he  shall  not  have  a  Scot  of  them. 
No,  if  a  Scot  would  save  his  soul,  he  shall  not. 
I'll  keep  them,  by  this  hand. 

WORCESTER.  You  start  away, 

And  lend  no  ear  unto  my  purposes.  — 
Those  prisoners  you  shall  keep. 

HOTSPUR.  Nay,  I  will  ;  that's  flat.  — 

He  said,  he  would  not  ransom  Mortimer  ; 
Forbade  my  tongue  to  speak  of  Mortimer  ; 
But  I  will  find  him  when  he  lies  asleep, 
And  in  his  ear  I'll  holla  —  Mortimer  ! 
Nay, 

I'll  have  a  starling  shall  be  taught  to  speak 
Nothing  but  Mortimer,  and  give  it  him, 
To  keep  his  anger  still  in  motion. 

King  Henry  IV.,  Part  I.,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iii. 

I  will  rather  sue  to  be  despised,  than  to  deceive  so  good  a  com- 
mander, with  so  slight,  so  drunken,  and  so  indiscreet  an  officer.  Drunk  ! 
and  speak  parrot  ?  and  squabble  ?  swagger  ?  swear  ?  and  discourse 
fustian  with  one's  own  shadow  ?  O  thou  invisible  spirit  of  wine,  if 
thou  hast  no  name  to  be  known  by,  let  us  call  thee  —  devil ! 

Othello,  Act  II.,  Sc.  iii. 

Are  we  so  low,  so  base,  so  despicable,  that  we  may  not  express 
our  horror,  articulate  our  detestation,  of  the  most  brutal  and  atro- 
cious war  that  ever  stained  earth,  or  shocked  high  heaven,  with  the 
ferocious  deeds  of  a  brutal  soldiery,  set  on  by  the  clergy  and  follow- 
ers of  a  fanatical  and  inimical  religion,  rioting  in  excess  of  blood 
and  butchery,  at  the  mere  details  of  which  the  heart  sickens?  If  the 
great  mass  of  Christendom  can  look  coolly  and  calmly  on,  while  all 
this  is  perpetrated  on  a  Christian  people,  in  their  own  vicinity,  in 
their  very  presence,  let  us,  at  least,  show  that,  in  this  distant  extrem- 
ity, there  is  still  some  sensibility  and  sympathy  for  Christian  wrongs 


308  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

and  sufferings  ;  that  there  are  still  feelings  which  can  kindle  into 
indignation  at  the  oppression  of  a  people  endeared  to  us  by  every 
ancient  recollection  and  every  modern  tie. 

But,  sir,  it  is  not  first  and  chiefly  for  Greece  that  I  wish  to  see 
this  measure  adopted.  It  will  give  her  but  little  aid  —  that  aid 
purely  of  a  moral  kind.  It  is,  indeed,  soothing  and  solacing,  in  dis- 
tress, to  hear  the  accents  of  a  friendly  voice.  We  know  this  as  a 
people.  But,  sir,  it  is  principally  and  mainly  for' America  herself, 
for  the  credit  and  character  of  our  common  country,  that  I  hope  to 
see  this  resolution  pass ;  it  is  for  our  own  unsullied  name  that  I  feel. 

What  appearance,  sir,  on  the  page  of  history,  would  a  record  like 
this  make :  "  In  the  month  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  1824,  while  all  European  Christendom  beheld,  with  cold,  un- 
feeling apathy,  the  unexampled  wrongs  and  inexpressible  misery  of 
Christian  Greece,  a  proposition  was  made  in  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  —  almost  the  sole,  the  last,  the  greatest  repository  of 
human  hope  and  of  human  freedom,  the  representatives  of  a  nation 
capable  of  bringing  into  the  field  a  million  of  bayonets  —  while  the 
freemen  of  that  nation  were  spontaneously  expressing  its  deep-toned 
feeling,  its  fervent  prayer,  for  Grecian  success  ;  while  the  whole  con- 
tinent was  rising,  by  one  simultaneous  motion,  solemnly  and  anx- 
iously supplicating  and  invoking  the  aid  of  heaven  to  spare  Greece, 
and  to  invigorate  her  arms :  while  temples  and  senate-houses  were 
all  resounding  with  one  burst  of  generous  sympathy ;  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour,  —  that  Saviour  alike  of  Christian  Greece  and  of 
us,  —  a  proposition  was  offered  in  the  American  Congress  to  send  a 
messenger  to  Greece,  to  inquire  into  her  state  and  condition,  with  an 
expression  of  our  good  wishes  and  our  sympathies,  —  and  it  was 
rejected !  "  ? 

Go  home,  if  you  dare,  — go  home,  if  you  can,  —  to  your  constit- 
uents, and  tell  them  that  you  voted  it  down !  Meet,  if  you  dare,  the 
appalling  countenances  of  those  who  sent  you  here,  and  tell  them 
that  you  shrank  from  the  declaration  of  your  own  sentiments ;  that, 
you  cannot  tell  how,  but  that  some  unknown  dread,  some  indescri- 
bable apprehension,  some  indefinable  danger,  affrighted  you  ;  that  the 
specters  of  cimeters,  and  crowns  and  crescents,  gleamed  before  you, 
and  alarmed  you ;  and  that  you  suppressed  all  the  noble  feelings 
prompted  by  religion,  by  liberality,  by  national  independence,  and 


STUDIES  IN   VOLITION.  309 

by  humanity  !     I  cannot  bring  myself  to  believe  that  such  will  be 
the  feeling  of  a  majority  of  this  House.  —  HENRY  CLAY. 

And  now,  go  bring  your  sharpest  torments.  The  woes  I  see 
impending  over  this  guilty  realm  shall  be  enough  to  sweeten  death, 
though  every  nerve  and  artery  were  a  shooting  pang.  I  die !  but 
my  death  shall  prove  a  proud  triumph ;  and,  for  every  drop  of  blood 
ye  from  my  veins  do  draw,  your  own  shall  flow  in  rivers.  Woe  to 
thee,  Carthage !  Woe  to  the  proud  city  of  the  waters !  I  see  thy 
nobles  wailing  at  the  feet  of  Roman  senators  !  thy  citizens  in  terror ! 
thy  ships  in  flames !  I  hear  the  victorious  shouts  of  Rome  !  I  see 
her  eagles  glittering  on  thy  ramparts.  Proud  city,  thou  art  doomed  ! 
The  curse  of  God  is  on  thee  —  a  clinging,  wasting  curse.  It  shall 
not  leave  thy  gates  till  hungry  flames  shall  lick  the  fretted  gold  from 
off  thy  proud  palaces,  and  every  brook  runs  crimson  to  the  sea.  — 
KELLOGG,  Regulus  to  the  Carthaginians. 


ENERGY    OF    UPLIFT. 

Arise,  shine ;  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is 
risen  upon  thee. 

For,  behold,  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness 
the  people :  but  the  Lord  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall 
be  seen  upon  thee. 

And  nations  shall  come  to  thy  light,  and  kings  to  the  brightness 
of  thy  rising. 

Lift  up  thine  eyes  round  about,  and  see  :  they  all  gather  them- 
selves together,  they  come  to  thee ;  thy  sons  shall  come  from  far, 
and  thy  daughters  shall  be  nursed  at  thy  side. 

Then  thou  shalt  see,  and  be  lightened,  and  thine  heart  shall 
tremble  and  be  enlarged ;  because  the  abundance  of  the  sea  shall  be 
unto  thee,  the  wealth  of  the  nations  shall  come  unto  thee.  —  Isa. 

Ix.  1-5. 

"  Thou,  too,  sail  on,  O  Ship  of  State, 
Sail  on,  O  Union,  strong  and  great." 

Thou  kingly  Spirit  throned  among  the  hills, 
Thou  dread  ambassador  from  earth  to  heaven, 
Great  hierarch  !  tell  thou  the  silent  sky, 


810  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

And  tell  the  stars,  and  tell  yon  rising  sun, 
Earth,  with  her  thousand  voices,  praises  God. 

COLERIDGE. 

How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts. 

My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  f ainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord ; 
my  heart  and  my  flesh  cry  out  unto  the  living  God. 

Yea,  the  sparrow  hath  found  her  an  house,  and  the  swallow  a  nest 
for  herself,  where  she  may  lay  her  young,  even  thine  altars,  O  Lord 
of  hosts,  my  King,  and  my  God. — Ps.  Ix'xxiv.  1-3. 

The  Lord  reigneth  ;  he  is  appareled  with  majesty  ; 

The  Lord  is  appareled,  he  hath  girded  himself  with  strength : 

The  world  also  is  stablished,  that  it  cannot  be  moved. 

Thy  throne  is  established  of  old  : 

Thou  art  from  everlasting. 

The  floods  have  lifted  up,  O  Lord. 

The  floods  have  lifted  up  their  voice ; 

The  floods  lift  up  their  waves. 

Above  the  voices  of  many  waters, 

The  mighty  breakers  of  the  sea, 

The  Lord  on  high  is  mighty. 

Thy  testimonies  are  very  sure  : 

Holiness  becometh  thine  house, 

O  Lord,  for  evermore.  —  Ps.  xciii.  1-5. 

He  was  a  man,  take  him  for  all  in  all, 
I  shall  not  look  upon  his  like  again. 

Hamlet,  Act  I.,  Sc.  ii. 

This  was  the  noblest  Roman  of  them  all. 

His  life  was  gentle  ;  and  the  elements 

So  mix'd  in  him,  that  Nature  might  stand  up 

And  say  to  all  the  world,  This  was  a  man  ! 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  V.,  Sc.  v. 

For  even  then,  Sir,  even  before  this  splendid  orb  was  entirely 
set,  and  while  the  western  horizon  was  in  a  blaze  with  his  descending 
glory,  on  the  opposite  quarter  of  the  heavens  arose  another  luminary, 
and,  for  his  hour,  became  lord  of  the  ascendant.  .  .  .  And  1  did  see 
in  that  noble  person  such  sound  principles,  such  an  enlargement  of 


STUDIES  IX    VOLITION.  311 

mind,  such  clear  and  sagacious  sense,  and  such  unshaken  fortitude, 
as  have  bound  me,  as  well  as  others  much  better  than  me,  by  an  invi- 
olable attachment  to  him  from  that  time  forward.  ...  I  stood  near 
him ;  and  his  face,  to  use  the  expression  of  the  Scripture  of  the  first 
martyr  —  his  face  was  as  if  it  had  been  the  face  of  an  angel.  I  do 
not  know  how  others  feel;  but  if  I  had  stood  in  that  situation,  I 
never  would  have  exchanged  it  for  all  that  kings  in  their  profusion 
could  bestow.  I  did  hope  that  that  day's  danger  and  honor  would 
have  been  a  bond  to  hold  us  all  together  forever.  —  BURKE. 

O,  sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song  : 

Sing  unto  the  Lord,  all  the  earth. 

Sing  unto  the  Lord,  bless  his  name ; 

Show  forth  his  salvation  from  day  to  day. 

Declare  his  glory  among  the  nations, 

His  marvelous  works  among  all  peoples. 

For  great  is  the  Lord,  and  highly  to  be  praised  : 

He  is  to  be  feared  above  all  gods. 

For  all  the  gods  of  the  people  are  idols : 

But  the  Lord  made  the  heavens. 

Honor  and  majesty  are  before  him  : 

Strength  and  beauty  are  in  his  sanctuary.  —  Ps.  xcvi.  1-6. 

Ho  !  gallant  nobles  of  the  League,  look  that  your  arms  be  bright  ! 
Ho  !  burghers  of  St.  Genevieve,  keep  watch  and  ward  to-night ! 
For  our  God  hath  crushed  the  tyrant,  our  God  hath  raised  the  slave, 
And  mocked  the  counsel  of  the  wise,  and  the  valor  of  the  brave. 
Then  glory  to  his  holy  name,  from  whom  all  glories  are  ; 
And  glory  to  our  sovereign  lord,  King  Henry  of  Navarre. 

MACAULAY,  The  Battle  of  Ivry. 

Banners  and  badges,  processions  and  flags,  announce  to  us,  that 
amidst  this  uncounted  throng  are  thousands  of  natives  of  New  Eng- 
land now  residents  in  other  States.  Welcome,  ye  kindred  names, 
with  kindred  blood !  From  the  broad  savannas  of  the  South,  from 
the  newer  regions  of  the  West,  from  amidst  the  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  men  of  Eastern  origin  who  cultivate  the  rich  valley  of  the 
Genesee  or  live  along  the  chain  of  the  Lakes,  from  the  mountains  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  from  the  thronged  cities  of  the  coast,  welcome, 
welcome  !  Wherever  else  you  may  be  strangers,  here  you  are  all  at 


312  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

home.  You  assemble  at  this  shrine  of  liberty,  near  the  family  altars 
at  which  your  earliest  devotions  were  paid  to  heaven,  near  to  the 
temples  of  worship  first  entered  by  you,  and  near  to  the  schools  and 
colleges  in  which  your  education  was  received.  You  come  here  with 
a  glorious  ancestry  of  liberty.  You  bring  names  which  are  on  the 
rolls  of  Lexington,  Concord,  and  Bunker  Hill.  .  .  . 

But  if  family  associations  and  the  recollections  of  the  past  bring 
you  hither  with  greater  alacrity,  and  mingle  with  your  greeting  much 
of  local  attachment  and  private  affection,  greeting  also  be  given,  free 
and  hearty  greeting,  to  every  American  citizen  who  treads  this  sacred 
soil  with  patriotic  feeling,  and  respires  with  pleasure  in  an  atmos- 
phere perfumed  with  the  recollections  of  1775 !  This  occasion  is 
respectable,  nay,  it  is  grand,  it  is  sublime,  by  the  nationality  of  its 
sentiment.  Among  the  seventeen  millions  of  happy  people  who  form 
the  American  community,  there  is  not  one  that  has  not  a  deep  and 
abiding  interest  in  that  which  it  commemorates.  —  WEBSTER. 

O  Father  Jove  !  most  mighty,  most  august! 
Who  rulest  from  the  Idaean  mount,  vouchsafe 
That  Ajax  bear  away  the  victory 
And  everlasting  honor;  but  if  thou 
Dost  cherish  Hector  and  protect  his  life, 
Give  equal  strength  to  both,  and  equal  fame. 

The  Iliad. 

Now  morn  in  saffron  robes  had  shed  her  light 
O'er  all  the  earth,  when  Jove  the  Thunderer 
Summoned  the  gods  to  council  on  the  heights 
On  many-peaked  Olympus. 

Ibid. 

But  yonder  comes  the  powerful  King  of  Day, 

Rejoicing  in  the  east.     The  lessening  cloud, 

The  kindling  azure,  and  the  mountain's  brow, 

Illumed  with  fluid  gold,  his  near  approach 

Betoken  glad.     Lo!  now,  apparent  all, 

Aslant  the  dew-bright  earth,  and  colored  air, 

He  looks  in  boundless  majesty  abroad, 

And  sheds  the  shining  day,  that  burnished  plays 

On  rocks,  and  hills,  and  towers,  and  wandering  streams, 

**;gh  gleaming  from  afar. 

Ibid. 


STUDIES   IN    VOLITION.  313 


ENERGY    OF    ESTABLISHMENT. 

"  The  world  recedes  ;  it  disappears  ! 
Heaven  opens  on  my  eyes  !  my  ears 

With  sounds  seraphic  ring  : 
Lend,  lend  your  wings  !  I  mount  !  I  fly  ! 
O  grave  !  where  is  thy  victory  ? 
O  death!  where  is  thy  sting?" 

"  Cheer  answer  cheer,  and  bear  the  cheer  about. 
Hurrah,  hurrah,  for  the  fiery  fort  is  ours  ! 
'Victory,  victory,  victory!" 

"  Forward,  through  blood  and  toil  and  cloud  and  fire  ! 
Glorious  shout,  the  shock,  the  crash  of  steel, 
The  volley's  roll,  the  rocket's  blasting  spire  ! 
They  shake  ;  like  broken  waves  their  squares  retire. 
On  them,  hussars  !     Now  give  them  rein  and  heel  ! " 

u  Some  to  the  common  pulpits  !  and  cry  out 
'  Liberty,  freedom,  and  enfranchisement  ! '  " 

"  '  Come  back,  come  back,  Horatius  ! 
Loud  cried  the  Fathers  all. 
'  Back,  Lartius  !   back  Herminius  ! 
Back,  ere  the  ruin  fall  ! '" 

When  Appius  Claudius  saw  that  deed,  he  shudder'd  and  sank  down, 
And  hid  his  face,  some  little  space,  with  the  corner  of  his  gown, 
Till,  with  white  lips  and  blood-shot  eyes,  Virginius  totter'd  nigh, 
And  stood  before  the  judgment-seat,  and  held  the  knife  on  high  : 
'O  !  dwellers  in  the  nether  gloom,  avengers  of  the  slain, 
By  this  dear  blood  I  cry  to  you,  do  right  between  us  twain  ; 
And,  even  as  Appius  Claudius  hath  dealt  by  me  and  mine, 
Deal  thou  by  Appius  Claudius,  and  all  the  Claudian  line  !'  " 

"  Hang  out  our  banners  on  the  outward  walls  ; 
The  cry  is  still,  They  come  :  our  castle's  strength 
Will  laugh  a  siege  to  scorn.     Here  let  them  lie 
Till  famine  and  the  ague  eat  them  up  : 
Were  they  not  forc'd  with  those  that  should  be  ours, 
We  might  have  met  them  dareful,  beard  to  beard, 
And  beat  them  backward  home.     What  is  that  noise? 


314  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Ring  the  alarum  bell  ! — Blow,  wind  !  come,  wrack  \ 
At  least  we'll  die  with  harness  on  our  back." 


ENERGY    OF    VIOLENCE. 

I  call  thee  coward!  I'll  see  thee  hanged  ere  I  call  thee  coward; 
but  I  would  give  a  thousand  pound  I  could  run  as  fast  as  thou 
canst.  You  are  straight  enough  in  the  shoulders ;  you  care  not  who 
sees  your  back.  Call  you  that  backing  of  your  friends  ?  A  plague 
upon  such  backing  !  —  King  Henry  IV.,  Part  L,  Act  II.,  Sc.  iv. 

Are  you  really  prepared  to  determine,  but  not  to  hear,  the 
mighty  cause  upon  which  hang  a  nation's  hopes  and  fears  ?  You 
are  ?  Then  beware  of  your  decision  !  By  all  you  hold  most  dear, 
—  by  all  the  ties  that  bind  every  one  of  us  to  our  common  order 
and  our  common  country,  I  solemnly  adjure  you,  —  I  warn  you,  — 
I  implore  you,  —  yea,  on  my  bended  knees  I  supplicate  you,  —  re- 
ject not  this  bill !  —  LORD  BROUGHAM. 

"  And  do  you  now  strew  flowers  in  Ms  way, 
That  comes  in  triumph  over  Pompey's  blood  f  " 

"  Dost  thou  come  here  to  whine  ?  to  outface  me  with  leaping  in 
her  grave  ?  " 

"  Gone  to  be  married  ?  gone  to  swear  a  truce  ?  " 

Ross.     Let  not  your  ears  despise  my  tongue  forever, 
Which  shall  possess  them  with  the  heaviest  sound 
That  ever  yet  they  heard. 

MACDUFF.  Hum  !    I  guess  at  it. 

Ross.     Your  castle  is  surpris'd:  your  wife  and  babes 
Savagely  slaughter'd:  to  relate  the  manner, 
Were,  on  the  quarry  of  these  murther'd  deer, 
To  add  the  death  of  you. 

MALCOLM.  Merciful  heavens  ! 

What,  man  !   ne'er  pull  your  hat  upon  your  brow  : 
Give  sorrow  words  :  the  grief  that  does  not  speak 
Whispers  the  o'er-fraught  heart;  and  bids  it  break. 

MACDUFF.     My  children  too  ? 

Ross.  Wife,  children,  servants,  all 

That  could  be  found. 


STUDIES  IN   VOLITION.  315 

MACDUFF.  And  I  must  be  from  thence  ! 

My  wife  killed  too? 

Ross.  I  have  said. 

MALCOLM.  Be  comforted 

Let's  make  us  medicines  of  our  great  revenge, 
To  cure  this  deadly  grief. 

MACDUFF.     He  has  no  children.  —  All  my  pretty  ones  ? 
Did  you  say  all  ?  —  6  hell-kite  !  —  All  ? 
What,  all  my  pretty  chickens  and  their  dam 
At  one  fell  swoop  ? 

MALCOLM.  Dispute  it  like  a  man. 

MACDUFF.     I  shall  do  so  ; 
But  I  must  also  feel  it  as  a  man. 

Macbeth,  Act  IV.,  Sc.  iii. 

Signior  Antonio,  many  a  time  and  oft, 
In  the  Rialto,  you  have  rated  me 
About  my  moneys,  and  my  usances  : 
Still  have  I  borne  it  with  a  patient  shrug  ; 
For  sufferance  is  the  badge  of  all  our  tribe. 
You  call  me  misbeliever,  cut-throat,  dog, 
And  spit  upon  my  Jewish  gabardine, 
And  all  for  use  of  that  which  is  mine  own. 
Well  then,  it  now  appears  you  need  my  help  ; 
Go  to,  then  ;  you  come  to  me,  and  you  say, 
Shy  lock,  we  would  have  moneys  :  you  say  so  ; 
You  that  did  void  your  rheum  upon  my  beard, 
And  foot  me  as  you  spurn  a  stranger  cur 
Over  your  threshold  :  moneys  is  your  suit. 
What  should  I  say  to  you  ?     Should  I  not  say, 
Hath  a  dog  money  ?  is  it  possible, 
A  cur  can  lend  three  thousand  ducats  ? 

The  Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  I.,  Sc.  iii. 


CHAPTER  .V. 

RECITATION    AS    ART. 

WE  have  thus  far  been  considering  vocal  expression 
more  or  less  in  detail.  The  work  may  be  said  to  have 
been  analytical  and  technical.  The  imagination  of  the 
student  has  been  stimulated,  his  powers  of  discrimination 
developed,  and  through  these  his  voice  has  become  a  more 
responsive  agent  under  the  guidance  of  the  intellect. 

It  is  our  purpose  now  to  consider  recitation  on  the 
synthetic  side ;  to  regard  the  student  as  an  artist,  who  is 
presenting  any  given  literary  production  to  an  audience. 
It  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  get  an  answer  to  this  most 
important  question,  In  what  way  is  recitation  an  art? 
/Without  attempting  to  define  the  word  art,  we  may  safely 
/assert  that  the  Fine  Arts  are  of  two  kinds,  those  that 
create,  and  those  that  re-create.  'In  the  former  class  are 
included  painting,  sculpture,  architecture,  musical  compo- 
sition, and  in  its  highest  sense,  oratory.  In  the  second 
class,  beyond  dispute,  the  world  places  musical  rendition, 
J)oth  vocal  and  instrumental.  It  is  the  purpose  of  this 
chapter  to  show  that  reading  and  acting  should  properly 
come  under  the  same  head  as  the  latter. 

It  is  creative  ability  and  technique  that  make  the 
artist.  It  may  be  granted  that  the  sculptor  and  painter 
fulfill  these  conditions ;  and  yet,  is  it  not  true,  that,  apart 
from  the  ability  to  recognize  artistic  possibilities  in  a  given 

316 


RECITATION  AS  ART.  317 

landscape,  and  to  portray  that  landscape  on  the  canvas, 
there  is  often  very  little  creation  in  landscape  painting? 
Does  not  the  landscape  lie  before  the  view  of  the  artist? 
Does  he,  then,  do  much  more  than  suggest  that  landscape 
through  his  technique  ?  It  is  conceded  that  he  is  not  a 
mere  imitator  of  that  landscape,  that  he  may  add  details 
here  and  there  and  likewise  omit  them,  that  he  idealizes 
nature;  but  having  granted  this,  is  he  not,  through  his 
knowledge  of  drawing,  only  reproducing  that  which  al- 
ready literally  exists  ?  In  many  cases  the  same  course  is 
followed  by  the  sculptor;  yet  no  one  denies  to  one  who 
reproduces  a  landscape,  and  to  the  sculptor  who  puts  in 
marble  the  figure  of  a  Lincoln,  the  name  of  artist. 

I  desire  to  impress  the  thought  that  in  the  so-called 
creative  arts  there  is  a  great  deal  of  conscious  imitation  of 
the  very  subject  matter.  Even  further ;  the  painter  must 
often  copy  the  shape  of  the  leaf,  the  color  of  the  grass,  the 
contour  of  the  face ;  while  the  sculptor  uses  the  best  mod- 
els he  can  find  in  order  that  he  may  copy  literally  this 
limb  or  that  feature. 

Let  us  now  compare  with  this  class  of  artists  the  singer 
and  the  instrumentalist.  It  is  surely  more  than  mere 

(courtesy  that  bestows  upon  Paganini  or  Rubinstein,  Mario, 
or  Patti,  the  title  of  artist.  Upon  what  is  the  claim 
based?  The  music  that  they  interpret  has  already  lived 
in  the  brain  of  the  composer,  and  is  made  to  live  again  in 
the  voice  or  musical  instrument  of  the  performer.y  Just 
as  the  painter  presents  the  landscape  through  his  coloring 
and  drawing,  so  the  musical  artist  presents  the  thought 
and  feeling  of  the  composer  through  the  technique  of  voice 
or  instrument,  or  both,  according  to  his  particular  realm  of 
art.  Just  as  the  painter  notes  the  central  idea  in  a  group 


318  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

or  landscape,  notes  the  contrasts  of  figure  and  of  color; 
so  the  vocalist  or  the  pianist  must  discover  the  central 
idea  in  a  musical  composition,  its  contrasts  and  climaxes, 
and  present  them,  through  his  technique,  to  the  audience. 
The  painter  chooses  light  and  dark ;  the  musical  artist 
chooses  soft  and  loud.  Without  going  any  further  into 
details,  it  may  be  said  that  as  the  painter  perceives  the 
possibility  of  any  given  subject,  so  the  musical  artist  must 
search  his  composition  until  he  has  discovered  its  inner- 
most meaning,  before  he  can  hope  to  present  it  successfully. 
And  lastly,  just  as  the  painter  idealizes  the  landscape,  so 
the  musical  artist  must  use  his  powers  of  idealization  in 
interpreting  the  work  of  the  composer. 

If,  then,  these  are  approximately  the  reasons  why  the 
performing  musician  is  called  an  artist,  do  not  similar 
reasons  make  valid  the  claim  of  the  actor  and  reader  to 
be  called  artists  ? 

Stopford  Brooke  says,  in  effect,  that  he  who  recognizes 
and  is  moved  by  the  beautiful  is  artistic ;  he  who  makes 
that  beauty  manifest  to  the  world  is  an  artist.  Is  it,  there- 
fore, not  true  that  the  reader  may  fulfill  these  conditions 
of  the  artist?  Is  it  not  a  sign  of  high  intellectual  and 
imaginative  qualities  to  grasp  a  great  play  or  poem  in  its 
entirety?  This  is  the  first  requirement  antecedent  to, 
artistic  reading.  If,  now,  through  the  technique  at  the 
disposal  of  the  reader,  he  can  make  the  author's  thoughts 
and  feelings  clear  to  the  audience,  has  he  not  fulfilled  the 
second  requisite  of  the  artist? 

It  is  no  argument  to  say  that  a  large  part  of  the  reader's 
technique  is  instinctive,  is  born  with  him.  While  this 
may  be  true,  can  it  be  denied  that  his  voice  and  body  re- 
quire many  years  of  training  before  they  become  efficient 


RECITATION  AS  ART.  319 

instruments?  It  lias  been  urged  that  certain  readers  are 
born  with  good  voices  and  the  ability  to  make  graceful 
gestures,  but  that  no  one  is  born  with  a  technique  suffi- 
cient to  enable  him  to  play  the  great  masterpieces  of  music. 
i  ^Technique  does  not  make  an  artist.  The  difficulty  of 
certain  musical  compositions  makes  many  years  of  mechan- 
ical training  absolutely  necessary  ;  but  there  are  thousands 
who  have  the  patience  and  ability  to  acquire  this  technique 
who  are  not  and  never  can  be  anything  more  than  clever 
artisans.  •  The  singer  must  have  the  ability  to  make  runs 
and  trills,  and  other  graces  of  the  vocal  art  ;  but  this  does 
not  make  an  artist.  It  is  the  intellectual  ability  to  con-  / 
ceive  the  composer's  meaning,  the  responsive  soul  to  be 
affected  thereby,  and  the  tact  or  talent  or  genius  to  use 
technique  in  the  right  manner  and  at  the  right  time,  that 
make  the  vocal  artist.  And  so  with  the  reader,  who,  al- 
though he  be  gifted  by  nature  with  the  physical  attributes 
for  his  profession,  has  yet  many  years  of  work  to  accom- 
plish before  he  can  hope  to  rank  as  an  artist. 

Again,  all  reading  is  not  art.  But  neither  is  all  paint- 
ing, music,  or  sculpture.  The  claim,  therefore,  of  elocu- 
tion to  rank  as  an  art  is  not  based  on  the  performances  of 
clever  mediocrity,  but  upon  the  recognized  attainments  of 
such  representatives  as  Charlotte  Cushman,  Edwin  Booth, 
Eleanora  Duse,  and  Tommaso  Salvini. 

We  may  now  discuss  briefly  the  use  of  technique. 
Granting  that  the  artist  has  his  conception,  he  must  be  ([j 


with  the  tools  he  is  to  use..  The 
painter  must  know  the  possibilities  of  this  brush  and  that  ; 
he  must  understand  the  value  of  his  pigments  singly  and 
in  combination.  Pie  must  know  what  is  the  best  canvas 
for  his  work.  (For  the  sake  of  convenience  we  will  con- 


320  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

fine  our  discussions  principally  to  painting,  observing  only 
that  ihe  same  principles  apply  largely  to  all  the  other 
arts.'LJln  the  second  place,  the  artist  must  understand  the 
limitations  of  the  medium  in  which  he  is  working.  Dis- 
tance on  canvas  is  brought  out  through  the  knowledge  of 
the  laws  of  perspective.  Further,  the  painter  is  working 
on  a  flat  surface,  and  therefore  cannot  paint  the  four  sides 
of  a  building.  An  excellent  illustration  of  the  limitations 
imposed  by  the  medium  upon  the  artist  is  found  in  sculp- 
ture. A  life-size  figure  in  marble  virtually  resembles,  as 
far  as  form  is  concerned,  the  human  body,  with  a  few  sig- 
nificant differences.  Here  is  one :  The  pupil  of  the  eye 
is,  in  the  marble,  concave  instead  of  convex.  By  this 
means  the  effect  of  the  pupil  is  brought  out.  If  the  eye 
were  not  so  carved,  it  would  have  a  stony  stare.  /This 
illustration  will  suffice  to  make  clear  the  statement  that 
/  the  artist  must  understand  the  limitations  of  his  medium/ 

yin  the  third  place,  the  artist  must  have  technical  ability. 
He  must  be  able  so  to  control  his  muscles  that  they  will 
perform  more  or  less  exactly  the  bidding  of  his  mind.  In 

i  the  fourth  place,  his  eye  must  receive  the  training  to  dis- 
cern all  the  details  in  the  realm  of  nature  in  which  he  is 
working.  He  must  be  able  to  see  things  as  they  are. 
Fifth,  granting  that  he  has  a  conception  and  the  other 
requisites  above  mentioned,  he  must  know  what  effects 
will  best  bring  out  his  conception,  and  how  to  produce 
those  effects.  To  illustrate :  suppose  one  is  going  to 
depict  the  evils  of  gambling.  How  may  he  make  that 
conception  manifest  ?  He  will  choose  a  half-dozen  young 
men,  and  dress  them  in  the  height  of  fashion.  He  will 
depict  a  room  richly  furnished  in  every  way.  On  a  side- 
board will  stand  decanters  of  wine,vand  on  a  small  table  a 


RECITATION  AS  ART.  321 

number  of  glasses  more  or  less  filled,  and  perhaps  an  over- 
turned bottle.  He  will  select  some  of  the  young  men 
upon  whose  faces  he  will  depict  the  effects  of  losses  and 
of  gains  ;  and  will  also  show  the  instruments  o£  gambling, 
such  as  cards,  dice,  and  so  forth.  It  is  plain  from  this 
that  the  artist  has  been  at  pains  to  choose  certain  effects 
(the  most  significant  details)  by  which  to  suggest  the 
gambler's  life.  By  means  of  these  he  is  to  bring  out  his 
conception.  The  last  point  now  remains.  How  will  he 
arrange  the  different  characters  and  the  furnishings  of  the 
room  ?  He  has  chosen  the  significant  detail  of  a  gambling- 
table  ;  he  must  now  determine  where  that  table  will  be 
put.  Then,  around  the  table,  he  will  seat  three  or  four 
of  the  players,  some  with  an  expression  of  despair  on 
their  faces,  others  with  the  grim,  hard,  set  look  of  con- 
firmed gamblers.  To  one  side,  stretched  upon  a  couch, 
he  will  depict  the  figure  of  one  of  the  gamblers  lying 
asleep.  Dawn  is  breaking ;  and  standing  at  the  window, 
looking  out  over  the  landscape,  is  another  figure,  upon 
whose  face  one  can  plainly  read  the  fearful  agony  of 
mind  of  one  who  recognizes  in  that  early  dawn  the  be- 
ginning of  a  day  that  has  brought  him  to  his  ruin.^/Sum- 
marizin^/ftie  artist  determines  what  his  effects  shall  be, 
how  they  are  to  be  arranged,  and,  by  means  of  contrasts 

"and  subordination  in  size  and  color,  given  us  a  com- 
plete picture./  From  this  illustration  it  has  been  made 

^lear  that  mere  technical  ability  is  not  by  any  means 
sufficient  to  make  an  artist.  One  might  have  a  concep- 
tion of  the  evils  of  gambling,  and  perhaps  have,  vaguely, 

/some  such  picture  as  that  we  have  described ;   but  if  he 

Nfciave  not  the  genius  Ao  select  the  significant  details,  and 
the  ability  to  arrange  them,  no  matter  what  his  technical 


322  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

ability,  he  falls  short  of  being  an  artist.  It  is  simply 
accident  that  it  requires  many  years  of  technical  training 
before  one  can  work  in  marble  or  color,  or  that  many 
years  of  constant  practice  should  be  necessary  before  one 
can  master  the  difficulties  of  instrumental  technique.  No 
one  would  deny  that  if  mere  technical  training  could  be 
abolished  much  valuable  time  would  be  saved  for  the 
would-be  artist. 

In  view  of  what  has  been  said,  it  must  be  clear  that  it 
is  no  argument  against  the  plea  for  reading  as  art,  to 
assert  that  all  of  us  are  born  with,  at  any  rate,  the  funda- 
mental technique  of  voice  and  body. 

/  Now,  the  only  difference  that  exists  between  the  art  of 
the  reader  and  that  of  the  painter  is  that  more  of  concep- 
tion and  characterization  is  prepared  for  the  former.  But 
granting  this,  the  difference  between  the  two  arts  is  not  so 
great  as  it  would  at  first  appear.  As  has  already  been 
shown,  nature  oftentimes  will  present  virtually  the  com- 
plete conception  just  as  the  reader  finds  it  in  the  drama. 
The  reader  must  study  most  carefully  every  line  of  his 
,poem  in  order  to  get  the  author's  conception  ;  he  must,  with 
Ihis  knowledge  of  details  and  of  the  limitations  of  the 

ledium  in  which  he  is  working,   choose    the    significant 
[symbols   loy  which  this  or  that  phase  of  character  is   to 
brought  out;    he  must  subordinate  this  character  and 
inhance  that. 

As  compared  with  instrumental  music,  the  reader's  art 
is,  in  one  important  feature,  more  difficult.  In  music 
certain  notes  are  set  down,  and  the  musician  is  limited 
thereby  by  the  composer  ;  but  the  reader  has  the  choice 
of  a  thousand  melodies  in  which  to  bring  out  the  ideas  of 
the  character,  and  at  the  same  time  is  equally  free  with  the 


RECITATION  AS  ART.  323 

musician  so  far  as  emotional  effects  are  concerned.  Again, 
the  reader  has  more  difficulty  than  the  artists  in  color, 
sculpture,  and  architecture,  in  this  particular.  When  the 
works  of  the  latter  are  done,  they  are  present  in  space, 
and  the  various  objects  and  figures  stand  relatively  in 
their  true  proportions.  Not  so  with  the  reader.  He  oc- 
cupies from  one  and  a  half  to  two  hours  in  presenting  a 
play,  and  when  that  play  is  finished  he  must  have  so  pre- 
sented the  scenes  that  the  proportions  intended  by  the 
author  shall  not  have  been  marred.  Perhaps  in  no  art 
is  the  law  of  perspective  so  difficult  of  application  as  in 
this/ 

The  subsequent  discussion  will  go  into  the  subject 
more  in  detail;  but  it  is  hoped  that  sufficient  has  been 
said  to  justify  the  title  of  this  section  of  the  work, 
"  Recitation  as  Art.  " 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE   RELATION   OF   LITERATURE    TO   RECITATION. 

RECITATION  is  based  upon  literature.  This  "being  true, 
it  is  evident  that  unless  one  is  acquainted  with  the  laws 
underlying  literature,  good  recitation  is  hopeless. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  state  a  few  of  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  literary  art,  bearing  in  mind  that  there 
are  other  principles,  some  of  which  will  be  discussed  later ; 
and  further,  that  all  literary  productions  do  not  exemplify 
even  the  principles  here  discussed.  One  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  these  principles  is  that  of  Unity.  Ruskin  says 
that  Unity  deals  with  the  making  of  one  whole  out  of  many 
parts.  It  may  be  well  to  add  a  most  important  corollary 
to  this  statement:  Every  part  must  fit  into  the  whole. 
Axiomatic  as  this  appears,  it  is  often  lost  sight  of  by  the 
student  of  literature.  Until  he  can  determine  the  force 
and  bearing  of  every  word  in  a  production,  that  produc- 
tion has  not  been  fully  comprehended.  Too  much  stress 
cannot  be  laid  upon  this.  The  great  fault  with  most  read- 
ers, and  even  with  those  of  reputation,  is  that  certain 
parts  of  their  work  in  a  given  recitation  are  too  large 
or  too  small.  They  do  not  fit  in  snugly  with  the  rest  of 
the  parts,  and  hence  the  structure  is  more  or  less  awry. 
For  instance,  a  reader  recently  rendered  a  cutting  of  Mac- 
beth in  seventy-five  minutes.  From  this  it  must  be  evi- 
dent that  only  about  one-third  of  the  play  could  have  been 

324 


RELATION  OF  LITERATURE  TO  RECITATION.      325 

read,  yet  the  reader  omitted  scarcely  a  line  of  the  speeches 
of  the  witches,  thereby  occupying  nearly  one-half  of  his 
time  with  the  witch  scenes.  This,  it  seems,  is  a  decided 
artistic  weakness  in  rendition,  no  matter  how  adequately 
the  witches  may  have  been  presented. 

Under  this  principle  of  Unity  we  may  consider  other 
laws.  First,  the  law  of  Principality.  This  law  demands 
that  in  all  art  work  there  shall  be  a  leading  idea  or  figure 
to  which  all  other  ideas  or  figures  must  be  subordinated. 
The  significance  of  this  statement  cannot  be  overestimated. 
All  literary  analysis  must  be  made  with  the  object  of  dis- 
covering this  central  idea.  Every  line  must  be  tested  by 
this  standard.  A  fitting  corollary  of  this  law  is  that  of 
Subordination,  which  demands  that  everything,  characters 
and  figures,  must  be  subordinated  to  the  principal  idea. 

Yet  another  law  is  to  be  considered  in  this  connection, 
the  law  of  Movement.  Unless  a  literary  production  pro- 
gresses from  beginning  to  end  in  a  rational,  easy  order, 
the  attention  of  the  reader  is  distracted,  and  the  central 
idea  lost  sight  of. 

The  law  of  Contrast  is  of  great  importance  in  literary 
art.  By  placing  a  weak  character  alongside  of  a  strong 
one,  by  placing  villainy  next  to  virtue,  each  character  is 
brought  out  in  stronger  relief.  All  the  arts  take  advan- 
tage of  this  psychological  phenomenon  for  the  enhance' 
ment  of  effect. 

Lastly,  the  Central  Idea  is  often  enhanced  by  Climax, 
by  which  is  meant  a  gradual  accumulation  of  force  or  feel- 
ing. 

These,  then,  are  some  of  the  principal  elements  enter- 
ing into  literary  form,  which  is  here  discussed  entirely 
with  reference  to  its  bearing  upon  recitation,  and,  it  is 


326  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

hardly  necessary  to  say,   is   not   intended  as    a  complete 
discussion  of  the  laws  of  literary  art. 

We  have  now  seen  some  of  the  fundamental  principles 
of  literary  art.  We  have  also  seen  how  the  understand- 
ing of  literature,  both  as  to  form  and  content,  becomes  of 
so  much  importance  to  one  who  would  be  a  reader-artist. 
Let  us  now  examine  in  detail  the  relation  between  the 
two  arts. 

Unity.  —  First,  as  to  Unity.  The  knowledge  that  every 
work  of  literary  art  is  held  together  by  this  principle 
admonishes  us  to  study  carefully  the  very  commas,  in  or- 
der that  we  may  lose  no  slightest  feature  of  the  entire  pro- 
duction. Perhaps  an  illustration  from  architecture  may 
be  more  concrete,  and  hence  more  helpful.  The  archi- 
tect of  some  great  cathedral  has  drawn  most  carefully  the 
facade  of  the  building,  which  we  will  imagine  is  to  be  of 
granite  or  marble.  The  latter  is  cut  and  carved  at  the 
quarry,  each  block  of  a  certain  size  and  shape,  and  shipped 
to  the  builders,  who  are  to  put  it  in  place.  Every  block 
is  designed  for  a  specific  place  and  for  a  definite  purpose, 
—  strength,  ornament,  style,  —  and  if  but  one  is  out  of 
place,  by  that  one  will  the  completed  structure  violate  the 
law  of  Unity.  That  one  block,  whether  miscarved  by 
the  mason,  misplaced  by  the  builder,  or  miscalculated  by 
the  architect,  to  some  extent  spoils  the  complete  whole. 
It  is  distracting  to  the  cultivated  eye,  and  hence  the  sense 
of  pleasure  is  disturbed.  So  in  literature.  All  the  words 
are  stones  having  definite  functions,  and  the  author  (we 
are  speaking  now  of  ideal  productions)  has  given  them 
to  us  that  our  imagination  shall  put  them  together,  and 
thus  reproduce  his  conception. 

There  are   many  productions   that  violate  the  law  of 


RELATION   OF  LITERATURE   TO   RECITATION.      327 

unity,  and  are  still  accepted  as  great  works  of  art.  But 
let  it  be  remembered  that  they  are  so  accepted  not  because 
of,  but  in  spite  of,  the  defect.  The  Merchant  of  Venice 
affords  a  good  illustration.  Adroitly  s*i  Shakespeare  has 
woven  the  Casket  story  into  his  drama,  the  three  separate 
Casket  scenes  are  interminably  long.  What  could  justify 
them  ?  Either  that  they  afford  opportunities  for  revela- 
tion of  character,  or  that  they  assist  in  the  development 
of  the  plot.  These  scenes  occupy  some  three  hundred 
lines,  but  to  what  purpose?  We  care  nothing  for  the 
characters  of  the  Prince  of  Morocco  and  the  Prince  of 
Aragon ;  very  little  of  Portia's  character  comes  out  in 
these  scenes,  and  they  can  hardly  be  justified  on  the 
ground  that  they  increase  the  suspense  that  is  finally 
relieved  when  Bassanio  chooses  the  right  casket.  One 
hundred  lines  at  the  most  would  have  been  sufficient  for 
all  possible  purposes.  Another  point :  As  was  said  before, 
the  artist  must  understand  the  medium  in  which  he  works. 
It  takes  three  times  as  long  to  act  those  scenes  as  it  does 
to  read  them  in  one's  study.  Hence,  interesting  as  they 
may  be  in  themselves,  when  put  upon  the  stage,  for  which 
they  are  intended,  they  drag,  and  so  interfere  with  the 
unity  of  the  drama.  They  dissipate  the  attention  of  the 
audience,  and  the  law  of  Unity  is  based  upon  the  law  of 
conservation  of  attention.  "  In  art  no  detail  liveth  for 
itself." 

All  students  of  Shakespeare  are  acquainted  with  the 
long  controversy  concerning  the  Porter  scene  in  Macbeth. 
Many  critics  claimed  it  was  out  of  place  and  inconsistent, 
and  even  went  so  far  as  to  contend  that  it  was  not  Shake- 
speare's work.  The  best  criticism  of  to-day  justifies  the 
scene  on  these  grounds:  first,  some  time  had  to  elapse 


328  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

between  the  murder  and  its  discovery ;  second,  it  is  in 
accordance  with  the  king's  express  commands  that  his 
friends  should  call  to  awaken  him,  and  they  come  at  early 
dawn  in  compliance  with  his  request;  third,  the  comedy 
element  has  a  grimness  that  does  not  destroy  the  terror  of 
the  situation,  but  increases  the  tension  and  suspense,  and 
enhances  the  general  effect  by  contrast.  This  illustration 
is  used  as  a  warning  to  the  student  not  to  reject  any  art 
work  until  he  has  exhausted  all  possible  explanations. 
"  The  highway  of  art  is  strewn  with  the  bones  of  critics," 
who  tried  to  force  art  into  their  own  conceptions.  Yet, 
on  the  other  hand,  one  has  a  perfect  right  to  refuse  to 
accept  as  art  that  which  is  proved  to  be  inartistic,  espe- 
cially when  we  base  our  criticism  upon  the  more  perfect 
work  of  the  same  artist.  It  is  because  Shakespeare  wrote 
Othello,  The  Tempest,  and  King  Lear,  that  we  discern  the 
relative  weakness  of  The  Merchant  of  Venice. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  asked  what  this  discussion  has  to  do 
with  reading?  It  may  be  granted  that  it  has  some  value 
for  the  actor  who  is  staging  a  play,  but  how  can  it  affect 
the  reader?  The  answer  is,  that  it  has  been  deemed  ad- 
visable to  illustrate  the  law  of  Unity  by  large  examples,  in 
order  to  make  clear  the  principle,  so  that  it  might  more 
readily  be  applied  in  details.  The  knowledge  is  valuable 
also  to  those  who  arrange  plays  and  novels  for  the  reading- 
desk.  It  is  impossible  to  present  the  entire  work,  and 
hence  it  is  most  important  that  what  is  given  shall  truly 
represent  the  author. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  the  next  step.  It  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  law  of  Unity  applies  equally  to  the  parts 
as  to  the  whole.  Architecture  illustrates  this  quite  tan- 
gibly. Suppose  the  front  of  a  building  to  consist  of  three 


RELATION   OF  LITERATURE   TO  RECITATION.      329 

arches,  the  largest  being  in  the  middle,  and  those  on  either 
side  of  equal  size  and  shape.  The  three  together  form 
a  unit,  but  yet  each  of  the  smaller  arches  must  be  a  unit 
in  itself.  So  in  literature.  The  paragraph  is  a  unit,  the 
chapter  is  a  unit,  and  all  the  chapters  unite  to  make  the 
whole. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  note  the  relation  between 
literary  art  and  recitation  as  far  as  unity  is  concerned. 
Having  determined  the  meaning  of  our  selection,  every 
effort  must  be  concentrated  upon  bringing  out  that  mean- 
ing in  its  entirety  and  in  true  proportion.  Here  is  the 
most  difficult  part  of  our  work.  The  sense  of  proportion 
is  weak  in  most  of  us,  and  the  lack  of  it  betrays  us  in  all 
directions.  Literature  itself  is  full  of  illustrations  of  this 
lack,  and  the  stage  and  rostrum  supply  us  no  small  num- 
ber. Personal  bias,  hobbies,  vainglory,  are  continually  lead- 
ing us  astray.  Perhaps  some  concrete  examples  will  help 
us. 

Example  1.  —  A  reader  rendering  King  Robert  of 
Sicily 1  has  a  concealed  "mixed  choir  chant  the  Magnificat 
on  both  occasions  where  reference  is  made  to  it  in  the 
poem.  There  are  all  kinds  of  inconsistencies  in  this  pro- 
cedure. Leaving  out  the  fundamental  weakness  of  hav- 
ing it  chanted  at  all,  which  will  be  discussed  later,  it  must 
be  remembered  that  there  were  no  female  voices  in  choirs 
of  those  days.  The  author  expressly  states,  "Be  heard  the 
monks  chant  in  the  chapel  near."  Again,  the  second  time 
the  chant  is  introduced,  the  poet  uses  the  English  words. 
Now,  the  choir  that  chanted  in  Latin  could  hardly  chant 
now  in  English,  and,  further,  if  it  chant  in  Latin,  it  is 
abusing  the  text. 

1  Analyzed  in  detail  in  subsequent  pages. 


330  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Example  2.  —  Another  reader,  reciting  from  memory 
the  play  of  Julius  Coesar,  used  to  draw  a  portentous 
parchment  from  his  pocket,  when  he  as  Antony  came  to 
the  will  incident  in  the  Forum  scene.  The  inconsistency 
is  apparent  at  once.  He  did  not  wear  a  sword,  or  toga,  or 
a  dress  when  he  read  Portia's  lines.  He-  did  not  hold  up 
a  mantle  to  the  mob  when  he  said,  "  Look,  in  this  place 
ran  Cassius'  dagger  through."  He  resorted,  consciously  or 
unconsciously,  to  a  petty  trick. 

Example  3. —  A  well-known  actor  representing  Shy- 
lock  (Act  III.,  Scene  i.)  learning  from  Tubal  that  Anto- 
nio uhath  an  argosy  cast  away,  coming  from  Tripolis," 
falls  upon  his  knees  crying,  "  I  thank  God !  I  thank 
God !  "  Impossible  !  The  Jew  never,  under  any  circum- 
stances, kneels  except  upon  the  day  of  atonement ;  and 
Shylock  was  a  Jew  of  Jews. 

Example  4.  —  In  the  Trial  scene  of  the  same  play  an 
inspired  disciple  of  the  muse,  portraying  Gratiano,  gets  a 
hearty  laugh  from  the  unthinking  and  grieves  the  judicious 
by  reading  the  following  speech  &s  if  it  were  intended  to 
close  at  "  Heaven,"  and  making  a  suggestive  gesture  and 
grimace  while  uttering  that  word,  such  as  we  should  ex- 
pect in  low  comedy  from  one  who  was  tied  to  a  shrew. 
Then,  as  if  suddenly  recollecting  himself,  he  finishes  the 
sentence  as  if  to  imply,  Oh,  I  don't  mean  that  literally, 
oh,  no  !  I  just  wish  she  were  there  so  she  might  curb  this 
Jew.  Here  is  the  speech  :  — 

"I  have  a  wife,  whom,  I  protest,  I  love  : 
I  would  she  were  in  Heaven,  so  she  could 
Entreat  some  power  to  change  this  currish  Jew." 

This  so-called  actor  failed  entirely  to  perceive  the  pur- 


RELATION   OF  LITERATURE  TO  RECITATION       331 

pose  of  this  speech  and  the  preceding  one  of  Portia.  The 
play  is  a  comedy,  and  we  are  thus  most  artistically 
reminded  of  the  fact  at  a  time  when  the  intensity  of  the 
Trial  scene  is  becoming  almost  too  great.  It  is  a  delicious 
touch  of  art ;  but  the  humor  is  not  so  much  in  the  way  the 
lines  are  read,  but  in  that  we  know  the  supposed  counsel 
and  his  clerk  are  really  the  very  wives,  whom,  beloved  as 
they  are  by  their  husbands,  the  latter  would  be  willing  to 
sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  friendship.  And  furthermore, 
the  replies  to  the  respective  speeches  of  Bassanio  and  Gra- 
tiano  give  the  audience  an  inkling  that  Antonio  will 
yet  escape ;  for  the  women  would  hardly  be  likely  to  joke 
if  they  did  not  know  there  was  yet  an  escape  for  the 
unhappy  merchant. 

It  has  been  urged  in  defense  of  these  and  similar  atro- 
cities committed  in  the  name  of  art,  that  they  were  effec- 
tive with  audiences.  To  which  I  reply  simply,  What  kind 
of  audiences  ?  It  is  further  argued  that  we  cannot  limit 
the  artist ;  he  must  be  individual  and  original.  To  which 
the  answer  is  made,  Let  him  be  first  true,  and  then  original. 

Principality.  —  As  was  stated  above,  the  law  of  Prin- 
cipality demands  that  there  be  one  dominant  idea  in  an 
art  work,  to  which  all  else  must  be  subordinated.  The 
law  of  Unity  is  a  generalization  ;  the  law  of  Principality 
has  to  do  with  one  feature  of  art  only.  Let  us  look 
at  this  latter  law  in  detail.  Why  is  the  play  of  The  Mer- 
chant of  Venice  called  by  that  name?  Surely  Shylock  is 
the  central  figure.  The  answer  is  plain.  The  plot  takes 
its  rise  out  of  the  character  of  Antonio.  Any  explanation 
of  the  play  must  take  every  scene  into  account.  Shylock 
does  not  appear,  nor  is  his  influence  felt  at  all,  in  the  last 
act.  Professor  Snider  says  :  — 


332  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

The  general  movement  of  the  play  lies  in  the  conflict  between 
the  Right  of  Property  and  the  Existence  of  the  Individual,  and  in 
the  mediation  of  this  conflict  through  the  Family,  which  owes  its 
origin  in  the  present  case  to  that  same  individual  whom  it  rescues. 
That  is,  the  Family,  represented  by  Portia,  the  wife,  returns  and 
saves  the  man  who  aided,  by  his  friendship  and  generosity,  to  bring 
it  into  being.  All  the  characters  of  the  plat/,  though  possessing  peculi- 
arities of  their  own,  must  be  seen  in  their  relation  to  this  fundamental 
theme  of  the  work.  (The  italics  are  mine.) 


Again,  the  play  of  Julius  Ccesar  does  not  present  Caesar 
as  the  hero ;  Brutus  is  the  hero.  But  Caesar  is  the  ani- 
mating cause.  After  his  death  his  influence  is  even  more 
potent  than  at  the  beginning  of  the  tragedy.  Caesar's 
spirit  ranges  for  revenge ;  appears  to  Brutus  in  his  tent ; 
and  is  reincarnated  in  the  Triumvirate,  and  finally  in 
the  person  of  Octavius  Caesar,  his  nephew.  The  spirit  of 
Caesar,  then,  is  the  central  idea.  Interested  as  one  becomes 
in  the  story,  the  plot,  the  characters,  he  must  always  bear 
in  mind  that  these  are  but  the  media  through  which  the 
author  objectifies  some  great  theme.  It  is  because  the 
reader  and  actor  so  often  lose  sight  of  this  fact  that  their 
productions  are  so  unsatisfactory  to  the  true  critic. 

Subordination.  —  Let  us  turn  to  Subordination.  How 
clear  is  our  conception  of  the  character  of  Banquo  in 
Macbeth,  or  that  of  Portia  in  Julius  Ccesar,  or,  better  still, 
that  of  Cordelia  in  Lear!  Yet  Banquo  utters  but  a 
hundred  lines,  Portia  fewer  still,  and  Cordelia  least  of  all. 
Each  might  have  been  the  central  figure  of  a  great  tra- 
gedy ;  but  since  they  are  not,  Shakespeare  uses  them  for 
this  or  that  purpose  in  a  larger  plan,  and  develops  them  so 
far  that  their  office  is  clear,  and  no  farther. 

In  King  Robert  of  Sicily,  the  analysis   of  which  we 


DELATION   OF  LITERATURE   TO  RECITATION.      333 

may  for  a  moment  anticipate,  we  have  another  illustra- 
tion of  subordination.  When  the  three  brothers  meet  in 
Rome,  what  an  opportunity  for  the  descriptive  artist! 
Mediaeval  Rome !  Holy  Thursday !  St.  Peter's  square ! 
The  retinues  of  Pope,  Emperor,  King !  And  yet  the  poet 
dismisses  them  all  with  these  words,  - 

"The  Pope  received  them  with  great  pomp  and  blare 
Of  bannered  trumpets  on  St.  Peters  square." 

And  why?  To  have  done  otherwise  would  have  been  to 
distract  the  attention  of  the  reader  from  the  main  theme. 
We  are  reaching  the  climax  of  the  story,  and  are  in  no 
mood  to  brook  delay.  So  the  author  with  a  few  bold  but 
significant  strokes  puts  all  this  in  his  background,  and 
proceeds  with  his  story. 

In  the  following  example  from  Ruskin  note  the  place 
of  the  parenthesis.  One  has  to  read  the  sentence  many 
times  before  it  is  completely  apprehended :  - 

But  this  pleasure  is  not  received  from  the  beauty  of  the  work, 
for  nothing  can  be  perfectly  beautiful  unless  complete,  but  from  its 
simplicity  and  sufficiency  to  its  immediate  purpose,  where  the  pur- 
pose is  not  of  beauty  at  all,  as  often  in  things  rough-hewn,  pre-* 
eminently  for  instance  in  the  stones  of  the  foundations  of  the  Pitti 
and  Strozzi  palaces,  whose  noble  rudeness  is  to  be  opposed  both  to 
the  useless  polish,  and  the  barbarous  rustication  of  modern  times 
(although  this  instance  is  not  without  exception  to  be  received,  for 
the  majesty  of  these  rocky  buildings  depends  also  in  some  measure 
upon  the  real  beauty  and  finish  of  the  natural  curvilinear  fractures, 
opposed  to  the  coarseness  of  human  chiseling),  and  again,  as  it  re- 
spects works  of  higher  art,  the  pleasure  of  their  hasty  or  imperfect 
execution  is  not  indicative  of  their  beauty,  but  of  their  majesty  and 
fullness  of  thought  and  vastness  of  power. 

Think  of  a  sentence  of  forty  words,  conveying  an  idea  by 


334  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

no  means  easy  to  grasp  even  when  standing  alone,  thrown 
in  after  the  mind  already  has  two  or  three  subordinate 
thoughts  to  retain !  The  subordinate  either  overtops  the 
principal  or  obscures  it  altogether. 

This  leads  us  to  the  consideration  of  Subordination  in 
Recitation,  As  has  been  already  stated,  this  is  one  of  the 
most  difficult  problems  of  the  reader.  A  small  detail  in 
painting  is  painted  relatively  small.  In  sculpture  the 
hand  is  smaller  than  the  head.  And  yet  in  reading,  some 
people's  arms  are  more  prominent  than  their  voices,  their 
attitudinizing  more  significant  than  their  souls.  The  rea- 
son for  this  is  generally  utter  ignorance  of  that  feature  of 
art  we  are  now  discussing,  and  a  desire  to  display  self. 
But  why  does  the  conscientious  student  so  often  fail? 
The  answer  is :  He  forgets  that  he  is  working  in  time. 
The  reader  must  utter  every  word  of  his  author,  and 
hence  every  word  is  potentially  significant  or  not.  Every 
tone,  quality,  gesture,  and  attitude  may  be  made  so  sig- 
nificant that  it  will  remain  permanently  in  the  mind  of  the 
audience.  Here,  then,  is  the  pitfall.  Many  readers  act 
out  every  description,  on  the  mistaken  principle  that  every 
thought  is  equally  important.  The  consequence  is  no 
thought  is  significant.  One  cannot  see  the  forest  for  the 
trees.  It  is  true  we  should  miss  a  brick  if  it  were  left  out 
of  the  front  of  a  building,  but  we  do  not  want  every  brick 
stamped  "  a  brick."  Many  lines  in  a  poem  are  bricks. 
They  are  necessary  that  the  structure  may  rise  from  foun- 
dation to  spire ;  but  having  performed  their  office,  they 
must  sink  into  comparative  insignificance.  Let  us  illus- 
trate this,  once  more  from  King  Robert.  The  king  is 
locked  within  the  church.  Some  one  must  open  the  door. 
Hence  the  author  says :  - 


RELATION   OF  LITERATURE  TO   RECITATION.      335 

"At  length  the  sexton,  hearing  from  without 
The  tumult  of  the  knocking  and  the  shout, 
And  thinking  thieves  were  in  the  house  of  prayer, 
Came  with  his  lantern,  asking,   '  Who  is  there  ? ' ' 

Now,  there  are  those  who  imitate  the  action  of  the  sexton 
holding  high  his  lantern,  and  even  present  him  as  speak- 
ing in  a  shrill  treble.  Comment  is  useless.  Bring  in  the 
sexton  with  as  little  ostentation  as  possible,  let  him  open 
the  door,  say  his  say,  and  then  depart.  It  is  claimed  that 
it  can  do  no  harm  to  make  this  and  similar  scenes  vivid, 
because  while  many  in  the  audience  may  get  the  idea  if  it 
is  correctly  set  forth,  many  others  of  less  imagination 
would  miss  it.  If  an  auditor  has  no  sense  of  proportion, 
it  is  all  the  more  necessary  that  the  important  and  non- 
important  be  carefully  discriminated.  If  one  makes  sig- 
nificant such  points  as  these,  what  technique  is  left  to 
manifest  the  most  important?  We  must  ask  ourselves, 
How  much  is  the  episode  worth?  Why  is  it  inserted? 
To  answer  in  this  case  is  easy.  The  king  is  in  the  church 
and  the  door  is  locked.  Some  one  must  open  it,  and  the 
sexton  is  that  person.  Let  him  be  introduced  as  simply 
as  possible ;  let  him  open  the  door  and  be  dismissed. 

In  contrast  to  this  note  the  following  from  the  same 
poem :  - 

"  And,  lifting  high  his  forehead,  he  would  fling 
The  haughty  answer  back,  'I  am,  I  am  the  King!'" 

Here  is  a  most  significant  detail.  It  is  inserted  to  show 
the  pride,  arrogance,  and  obstinacy  of  the  king,  the  very 
motive  of  the  poem.  This  must  be  made  significant.  It 
is  the  central  idea  of  the  paragraph. 

How  strange  it  is  that  so  many  actors  and  readers  re- 
cite the  following  lines  from  Hamlet,  and  yet  in  practice 


336  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

appear  utterly   oblivious  of  their  true  meaning.     Let  the 
student  ponder  them  well :  - 

"  And  let  those  that  play  your  clowns  speak  no  more  than  is  set 
down  for  them  :  for  there  be  of  them,  that  will  themselves  laugh, 
to  set  on  some  quantity  of  barren  spectators  to  laugh  too ;  though 
in  the  meantime,  some  necessary  question  of  the  play  is  then  to  be 
considered  :  that's  villainous,  and  shows  a  pitiful  ambition  in  the 
fool  that  uses  it." 

Movement  will  not  require  much  elaboration.  It  must 
be  clear  that  where  the  story  is  not  progressive,  the  mind 
of  the  reader  is  distracted,  and  his  interest  dissipated. 
Note  how  easily  the  mind  follows  the  story  in  King 
Robert.  On  the  contrary,  observe  the  lack  of  continuous 
thinking  along  any  line  in  the  following  extract  from  Ten- 
nyson's Brook.  The  speaker  mentioned  is  a  garrulous  old 
man,  who  is  by  every  stray  thought  led  away  from  his 
topic  :  - 

O  Katie,  what  I  suffer'd  for  your  sake! 
For  in  I  went,  and  call'd  old  Philip  out 
To  show  the  farm:  full  willingly  he  rose: 
He  led  me  thro1  the  short  sweet-smelling  lanes 
Of  his  wheat-suburb,  babbling  as  he  went. 
He  praised  his  land,  his  horses,  his  machines; 
He  praised  his  plows,  his  cows,  his  hogs,  his  dogs; 
He  praised  his  hens,  his  geese,  his  guinea-hens; 
His  pigeons,  who  in  session  on  their  roofs 
Approved  him,  bowing  at  their  own  deserts: 
Then  from  the  plaintive  mother's  teat  he  took 
Her  blind  and  shuddering  puppies,  naming  each, 
And  naming  those,  his  friends,  for  whom  they  were: 
Then  crost  the  common  into  Darnley  chase 
To  show  Sir  Arthur's  deer.     In  copse  and  fern 
Twinkled  the  innumerable  ear  and  tail. 
Then,  seated  on  a  serpent-rooted  beech, 
He  pointed  out  a  pasturing  colt,  and  said: 
"  That  was  the  four-year-old  I  sold  the  Squire." 


RELATION    OF  LITERATURE   TO  RECITATION.      337 

And  there  he  told  a  long  long-winded  tale 
Of  how  the  Squire  had  seen  the  colt  at  grass, 
And  how  it  was  the  thing  his  daughter  wish'd, 
And  how  he  sent  the  bailiff  to  the  farm 
To  learn  the  price,  and  what  the  price  he  ask'd, 
And  how  the  bailiff  swore  that  he  was  inad, 
But  he  stood  firm;  and  so  the  matter  hung; 
He  gave  them  line:  and  five  days  after  that 
He  met  the  bailiff  at  the  Golden  Fleece, 
Who  then  and  there  had  offer'd  something  more, 
.  But  he  stood  firm;  and  so  the  matter  hung; 
He  knew  the  man;  the  colt  would  fetch  its  price; 
He  gave  them  line:  and  how  by  chance  at  last 
(It  might  be  May  or  April,  he  forgot, 
The  last  of  April  or  the  first  of  May) 
He  found  the  bailiff  riding  by  the  farm, 
And,  talking  from  the  point,  he  drew  him  in, 
And  there  he  niellow'd  all  his  heart  with  ale, 
Until  they  closed  a  bargain,  hand  in  hand. 

Then,  while  I  breathed  in  sight  of  haven,  he, 
Poor  fellow,  could  he  help  it?  recommenced, 
And  ran  thro'  all  the  coltish  chronicle, 
Wild  Will,  Black  Bess,  Tantivy,  Tallyho, 
Reform,  White  Rose,  Bellerophon,  the  Jilt, 
Arbaces,  and  Phenomenon,  and  the  rest, 
Till,  not  to  die  a  listener,  I  arose, 
And  with  me  Philip,  talking  still;  and  so 
We  turn'd  our  foreheads  from  the  falling  sun, 
And  following  our  own  shadows  thrice  as  long 
As  when  they  follow'd  us  from  Philip's  door, 
Arrived,  and  found  the  sun  of  sweet  content 
Re-risen  in  Katie's  eyes,  and  all  things  well. 

How  suggestive  of  the  character  is  the  parenthesis  con- 
cerning "  May  or  April "  ! 

In  Recitation  the  law  of  Movement  is  often  violated  by 
the  reader.  By  dwelling  too  long  on  this  word,  sentence, 
or  paragraph,  he  hinders  the  progress  of  the  story,  very 
often  with  the  result  of  greatly  irritating  the  audience  and 
destroying  the  innermost  meaning. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

STUDIES   IN    PKINCIPALITY    AND    SUBOKDINATION. 
PRINCIPALITY. 

THE  student  should  study  with  great  care  the  follow- 
ing poems,  with  the  view  to  discovering  the  central 
thought.  In  the  rendition  which  should  follow,  let  him 
observe  what  has  been  said  regarding  subordination. 
When  in  doubt  as  to  the  amount  of  stress  to  be  laid  on 
any  particular  phrase,  let  him  ask  himself,  How  much 
does  it  contribute  to  the  whole  ?  and  the  answer  will 
determine  the  amount  of  prominence  the  phrase  will  re- 
ceive in  recitation. 

The  decision  in  most  cases  is  not  a  question  of  taste, 
:»,s  so  many  aver.  It  is  a  matter  of  judgment ;  and  while 
occasionally  particular  passages  need  to  be  more  strongly 
emphasized  for  one  audience  than  for  another,  yet  on  the 
whole  there  is  a  very  definite  art  principle  that  cannot  be 
violated.  It  is  not  possible  to  dwell  at  length  on  this 
most  vital  principle,  for  to  do  that  might  easily  require 
a  volume.  It  is  possible,  however,  to  give  some  sugges- 
tive examples,  which  it  is  hoped  will  serve  as  standards 
for  the  student.  These  are  given  after  the  studies  in 
Principality. 

A  child  sleeps  under  a  rose-bush  fair. 
The  buds  swell  out  in  the  soft  May  air. 
338 


STUDIES  IN  PRINCIPALITY.  339 

Sweetly  it  rests,  and  on  dream  wings  flies 
To  play  with  the  angels  in  paradise: 
And  the  years  glide  by. 

A  maiden  stands  by  the  rose-bush  fair. 
The  dewy  blossoms  perfume  the  air. 
She  presses  her  hand  to  her  throbbing  breast, 
With  love's  first  wonderful  rapture  blest: 
And  the  years  glide  by. 

A  mother  kneels  by  the  rose-bush  fair, 
Soft  sigh  the  leaves  in  the  evening  air. 
Sorrowing  thoughts  of  the  past  arise, 
And  tears  of  anguish  bedirn  her  eyes: 
And  the  years  glide  by. 

Naked  and  lone  stands  the  rose-bush  fair, 
Whirled  are  the  leaves  in  the  autumn  air, 
Withered  and  dead  they  fall  to  the  ground, 
And  silently  cover  a  new-made  mound: 
And  the  years  glide  by. 

The  Rose-Bush.  Trs.  by  W.  CALDWELL. 

"  O  Mary,  go  and  call  the  cattle  home, 
And  call  the  cattle  home, 
And  call  the  cattle  home, 
Across  the  sands  o'  Dee  !" 

The  western  wind  was  wild  and  dank  wi'  foam, 
And  all  alone  went  she. 

The  creeping  tide  came  up  along  the  sand, 
And  o'er  and  o'er  the  sand, 
And  round  and  round  the  sand, 
As  far  as  the  eye  could  see; 
The  blinding  mist  came  down  and  hid  the  land: 
And  never  home  came  she. 

"O  is  it  weed,  or  fish,  or  floating  hair  — 
A  tress  o'  golden  hair, 
O'  drowned  maiden's  hair  — 
Above  the  nets  at  sea ? 
Was  never  salmon  yet  that  shone  so  fair, 
Among  the  stakes  on  Dee." 


340  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

They  rowed  her  in  across  the  rolling  foam  — 
The  cruel,  crawling  foam, 
The  cruel,  hungry  foam  — 
To  her  grave  beside  the  sea; 

But  still  the  boatmen  hear  her  call  the  cattle  home 
Across  the  sands  o'  Dee. 

KINGSLEY,  The  Sands  of  Dee. 

Three  fishers  went  sailing  out  into  the  West, — 

Out  into  the  west  as  the  sun  went  down; 
Each  thought  of  the  woman  who  loved  him  the  best, 

And  the  children  stood  watching  them  out  of  the  town; 
For  men  must  work  and  women  must  weep; 
And  there's  little  to  earn,  and  many  to  keep, 
Though  the  harbor  bar  be  moaning. 

Three  wives  sat  up  in  the  lighthouse  tower, 

And  trimmed  their  lamps  as  the  sun  went  down; 

And  they  looked  at  the  squall  and  they  looked  at  the  shower, 
And  the  night-rack  came  rolling  up,  ragged  and  brown; 

But  men  must  work,  and  women  must  weep, 

Though  storms  be  sudden,  and  waters  deep, 
And  the  harbor  bar  be  moaning. 

Three  corpses  lay  out  on  the  shining  sands 

In  the  morning  gleam  as  the  tide  went  down, 

And  the  women  are  weeping  and  wringing  their  hands 
For  those  who  will  never  come  back  to  the  town; 

For  men  must  work  and  women  must  weep  — 

And  the  sooner  it's  over  the  sooner  to  sleep  — 
And  good-by  to  the  bar  and  its  moaning. 

KINGSLEY,  The  Three  Fishers. 

When  I  consider  how  my  light  is  spent 

Ere  half  my  days,  in  this  dark  world  and  wide, 

And  that  one  talent  which  is  death  to  hide 

Lodged  with  me  useless,  though  my  soul  more  bent 

To  serve  therewith  my  Maker,  and  present 

My  true  account,  lest  He  returning  chide,  — • 

Doth  God  exact  day-labor,  light  denied  ? 

I  fondly  ask:  —  But  Patience,  to  prevent 

That  murmur,  soon  replies;  God  doth  not  need 

Either  man's  work,  or  His  own  gifts:  who  best 

Bear  His  mild  yoke,  they  serve  Him  best:  His  state 


STUDIES  IN   SUBORDINATION.  341 

Is  kingly  ;  thousands  at  His  bidding  speed, 
And  post  o'er  land  and  ocean  without  rest:  — 
They  also  serve  who  only  stand  and  wait. 

MILTON,  On  His  Blindness. 

Home  they  brought  her  warrior  dead  : 
She  nor  swoon' d,  nor  utter1  d  cry : 

All  her  maidens,  watching,  said, 

"  She  must  weep  or  she  will  die." 

Then  they  praised  him,  soft  and  low, 

Call'd  him  worthy  to  be  loved, 
Truest  friend  and  noblest  foe  ; 

Yet  she  neither  spoke  nor  moved. 

Stole  a  maiden  from  her  place, 

Lightly  to  the  warrior  stept. 
Took  the  face-cloth  from  the  face  ; 

Yet  she  neither  moved  nor  wept. 

Rose  a  nurse  of  ninety  years, 

Set  his  child  upon  her  knee  — 
Like  summer  tempest  came  her  tears  — 

"  Sweet  my  child,  I  live  for  thee." 

TENNYSON. 

SUBORDINATION. 

EXAMPLE  1. 

Should  one  sing  the  Magnificat  in  King  Robert  of  Sicily  ?  Decidedly 
not;  to  do  so  is  only  to  call  attention  to  the  singer,  and  to  distract  the 
audience  from  the  theme  of  the  chant.  What  is  the  purpose  the  author 
has  in  introducing  it  ?  This  is  discussed  in  the  analysis  made  elsewhere. 
Let  the  reader  simply  suggest  the  solemnity  of  the  words,  and  that  will 
suffice.  If  more  be  done,  the  audience  will  remember  the  chant  as  a 
chant,  and  that  is  just  what  will  mar  the  interpretation. 

EXAMPLE  2. 

Should  one  sing  Non  ti  scordar  di  me  in  Aux  Italiens  f  This  ques- 
tion is  answered  in  the  study  of  "Atmosphere." 

EXAMPLE  3. 

Several  readers  who  recite  The  Bugle  Song  of  Tennyson  show  an 
tntire  misconception  of  the  poet's  meaning  by  imitating  the  bugle  tones 


342  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

on  "  Blow,  bugle,  blow."     Is  it  any  wonder  that  culture  turns  aside 

from  "elocutionists"  ? 

EXAMPLE  4. 

Eugene  Field's  Little  Boy  Blue  presents  a  father  standing  before 
the  dust-covered  toys  of  his  dead  child.  The  father  speaks  throughout, 
and  yet  there  are  those  who  actually  imitate  the  voice  and  manner  of 
the  child  in  the  opening  lines  of  the  second  stanza:  — 

"  '  Now  don't  you  go  till  I  come,'  he  said, 
'And  don't  you  make  any  noise;' 
So  toddling  off  to  his  trundle-bed 

He  dreamt  of  the  pretty  toys." 

It  is  the  father  we  want,  not  the  child. 

EXAMPLE  5. 

A  pupil  once  read  a  selection  in  which  an  old  man  was  supposed  to 
be  sitting  in  an  armchair,  while  an  aged  negro  was  combing  his  hair. 
The  pupil  had  a  chair  on  the  platform,  and  kept  combing  the  air  as  if  to 
suggest  the  action  of  the  servant.  Is  this  not  "  impossible  "  art  ?  If 
one  takes  the  chair,  why  not  the  comb  ?  The  poem  was  not  a  study  in 
"chair"  or  in  "combing,"  and  the  enlargement  of  an  insignificant 
detail  was  ridiculous. 

EXAMPLE  6. 

We  all  remember  the  gestures  of  that  well-known  reader,  who,  in 
reading  The  Curfew,  used  to  clutch  the  air,  hand  over  hand,  as  if  to 
suggest  one  climbing  a  ladder.  All  we  saw  was,  at  the  best,  a  person 
climbing.  But  was  that  the  idea  ?  It  was  the  courage  of  the  daring 
girl  that  should  have  been  impressed  upon  us  instead  of  the  mere  act  of 
climbing.  One  or  two  barely  suggestive  movements  of  the  arms  and 
hands  might  be  appropriate  and  justifiable;  but  that  phase  will  be  dis- 
cussed under  descriptive  gesture. 


NOTE   TO   CHAPTER   VII. 

The  doctrine  that  correlatives  imply  one  another  —  that  a  father  cannot 
be  thought  of  without  thinking  of  a  child,  and  that  there  can  be  no  con- 
sciousness of  superior  without  a  consciousness  of  inferior —  has  for  one  of  its 
common  examples  the  necessary  connection  between  the  conceptions  ot 
whole  and  part.  Beyond  the  primary  truth  that  no  idea  of  a  whole  can  be 
framed  without  a  nascent  idea  of  parts  constituting  it,  and  that  no  idea  of  a 
part  can  be  framed  without  a  nascent  idea  of  some  whole  to  which  it  belongs, 


STUDIES  IN   SUBORDINATION.  343 

there  is  the  secondary  truth  that  there  can  be  no  correct  idea  of  a  part  with- 
out a  correct  idea  of  the  correlative  whole.  There  are  several  ways  in  which 
inadequate  knowledge  of  the  one  involves  inadequate  knowledge  of  the 
other. 

If  the  part  is  conceived  without  any  reference  to  the  whole,  it  becomes 
itself  a  whole  —  an  independent  entity ;  and  its  relations  to  existence  in 
general  are  misapprehended.  Further,  the  size  of  the  part  as  compared 
with  the  size  of  the  whole  must  be  misapprehended  unless  the  whole  is  not 
only  recognized  as  including  it,  but  is  figured  in  its  total  extent.  And 
again,  the  position  which  the  part  occupies  in  relation  to  other  parts  cannot 
be  rightly  conceived  unless  there  is  some  conception  of  the  whole  in  its 
distribution  as  well  as  in  its  amount. 

Still  more  when  part  and  whole,  instead  of  being  statically  related  only, 
are  dynamically  related,  must  there  be  a  general  understanding  of  the  whole 
before  the  part  can  be  understood.  By  a  savage  who  has  never  seen  a 
vehicle,  no  idea  can  be  formed  of  the  use  and  action  of  a  wheel.  To  the 
unsymmetrically  pierced  disk  of  an  eccentric,  no  place  or  purpose  can  be 
ascribed  by  a  rustic  unacquainted  with  machinery.  Even  a  mechanician, 
if  he  has  never  looked  into  a  piano,  will,  if  shown  a  damper,  be  unable  to 
conceive  its  function  or  relative  value. 

Most  of  all,  however,  where  the  whole  is  organic,  does  complete  com- 
prehension of  a  part  imply  extensive  comprehension  of  the  whole.  Suppose 
a  being  ignorant  of  the  human  body  to  find  a  detached  arm.  If  not  miscon- 
ceived by  him  as  a  supposed  whole,  instead  of  being  conceived  as  a  part,  still 
its  relations  to  other  parts,  and  its  structure,  would  be  wholly  inexplicable. 
Admitting  that  the  cooperation  of  its  bones  and  muscles  might  be  divined, 
yet  no  thought  could  be  framed  of  the  share  taken  by  the  arm  in  the  actions 
of  the  unknown  whole  it  belonged  to;  nor  could  any  interpretation  be  put 
upon  the  nerves  and  vessels  ramifying  through  it,  which  severally  refer  to 
certain  central  organs.  A  theory  of  the  structure  of  the  arm  implies  a  theory 
of  the  structure  of  the  body  at  large. 

And  this  truth  holds  not  of  material  aggregates  only,  but  of  immaterial 
aggregates  —  aggregated  motions,  deeds,  thoughts,  words.  The  moon's 
movements  cannot  be  fully  interpreted  without  taking  into  account  the 
movements  of  the  Solar  System  at  large.  The  process  of  loading  a  gun  is 
meaningless  until  the  subsequent  actions  performed  with  the  gun  are  known. 
A  fragment  of  a  sentence,  if  not  unintelligible,  is  wrongly  interpreted  in  the 
absence  of  thejemainder.  Cut  off  its  beginning  and  end,  and  the  rest  of  a 
demonstration  proves  nothing.  Evidence  given  by  a  plaintiff  often  misleads 
until  the  evidence  which  the  defendant  produces  is  joined  with  it. — 
SPENCER,  Data  of  Ethics. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

ATMOSPHERE. 

THERE  is  one  more  element  to  be  discussed  under  the 
heads  of  Principality  and  Subordination  that,  perhaps  more 
than  any  other,  manifests  the  artistic  nature  of  the  reader. 
This  element  is  called  by  different  names,  but  perhaps 
none  is  more  significant  than  Atmosphere*  This  effect 
is  not  easy  to  describe,  and  yet  it  is  as  real  as  rhythm  or 
inflection  or  any  other  of  the  elements  discussed  in  this 
book.  Atmosphere  is  that  sympathetic  quality  of  person- 
ality that  manifests  the  spirit  of  literature.  Who  can  fail 
to  notice  the  tender  motherly  sympathy  that  pervades  every 
word  of  the  lyric  Sweet  and  Low.  Now  compare  this  with 
the  knights'  chorus  from  The  Coming  of  Arthur.  It  is 
permeated  throughout  with  the  spirit  of  the  Round  Table. 
The  spirit  of  motherly  love  in  the  former,  and  of  knightly 
courage  and  the  clang  of  arms  in  the  latter,  completely 
envelop  these  poems,  and  permeate  every  letter.  There- 
fore, in  the  rendition  the  reader  must  exercise  the  greatest 
care  not  to  dissipate  this  atmosphere.  The  least  misstep, 
one  false  note,  and  the  atmosphere  is  disturbed. 

In  longer  selections  there  may  be  variety  of  atmos- 
phere in  the  different  stanzas  or  paragraphs,  provided 
always  that  the  variety  enhances  the  poem  as  a  whole. 
Mere  variety  is  not  art,  but  chaos,  says  Professor  Corson. 

The  following  lines  from  Matthew  Arnold's  Sohrab 

344 


ATMOSPHERE.  345 

and  Rustum  illustrate  the  principle  of  variety  in  unity. 
The  poem  purports  to  be  an  extract  from  the  epic  of  Rus- 
tum, the  Persian  Achilles,  and  is  especially  marked  by  a 
dignity  truly  Homeric.  This  atmosphere  of  dignity  envel- 
ops every  line.  Hence  pathos  and  joy,  patriotism  and 
defiance,  scorn  and  contempt,  and  all  the  other  emotions, 
are  always  dignified.  The  Tartars'  champion,  Sohrab,  chal- 
lenges the  bravest  Persian  champion  to  meet  in  single 
combat ;  and  the  Tartar  leader,  "  Peran-Wisa,"  announces 
the  challenge.  The  Tartars  love  their  hero,  and  the  thrill 
that  pervades  their  army  is  significant  of  that  love.  But 
the  Persian  champion,  Achilles-like,  sulks  in  his  tent ;  and 
this  knowledge,  when  the  announcement  of  the  challenge 
is  heard  by  the  Persians,  fills  them  with  awe  and  dismay. 
Let  the  student  read  the  following  lines,  bringing  out  the 
significant  atmosphere  of  the  two  parts  of  the  contrast, 
but  being  careful  not  to  lose  sight  of  the  general  atmos- 
phere of  dignity :  - 

And  the  old  Tartar  came  upon  the  sand 
Betwixt  the  silent  hosts,  and  spake,  and  said  :  — 

"Ferood,  and  ye,  Persians  and  Tartars  hear! 
Let  there  be  truce  between  the  hosts  to-day. 
But  choose  a  champion  from  the  Persian  lords 
To  fight  our  champion  Sohrab,  man  to  man." 

As,  in  the  country,  on  a  morn  in  June, 
When  the  dew  glistens  on  the  pearled  ears, 
A  shiver  runs  through  the  deep  corn  for  joy  — 
So,  when  they  heard  what  Peran-Wisa  said, 
A  thrill  through  all  the  Tartar  squadrons  ran 
Of  pride  and  hope  for  Sohrab,  whom  they  loved. 

But  as  a  troop  of  peddlers  from  Cabool, 
Cross  underneath  the  Indian  Caucasus, 
The  vast  sky-neighboring  mountain  of  milk  snow; 
Crossing  so  high,  that,  as  they  mount,  they  pass 
Long  flocks  of  traveling  birds  dead  on  the  snow, 


346  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Choked  by  the  air,  and  scarce  can  they  themselves 
Slake  their  parch'd  throats  with  sugard  mulberries  — 
In  single  file  they  move  and  stop  their  breath, 
For  fear  they  should  dislodge  the  o'erhanging  snows  — 
So  the  pale  Persians  held  their  breath  with  fear. 

The  reader  must  also  bear  in  mind  that  from  the  very 
beginning  of  each  picture  the  atmosphere  of  joy  and  fear 
respectively  must  be  in  the  mind,  and  must  never  be  lost 
sight  of  under  any  circumstances. 

Sometimes  the  atmosphere  is  modified  by  the  fact  that 
the  speaker  is  quoting  the  words  of  another  person,  and 
then  it  is  often  a  matter  of  the  most  subtle  analysis  to  de- 
termine the  extent  to  which  the  quoted  words  will  modify 
the  atmosphere  of  the  reader,  whether  speaking  in  his  own 
person  or  in  the  person  of  another. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  literature  that  must  be  consid- 
ered in  this  connection.  First:  That  class  in  which  the 
reader  tells  the  story  in  his  own  person.  Second:  When 
the  reading  is  a  personation  throughout.  An  example  of 
the  first  class  is  The  Idylls  of  the  King ;  and  of  the 
second,  the  "  Instigation "  speech  of  Cassius,  in  Julius 
Ccesar.  The  principle  governing  atmosphere  applies 
equally  and  in  the  same  way  to  both  kinds  of  selections. 
The  knowledge  of  this  fact  will  often  be  valuable  to  the 
reader. 

In  the  "  Instigation  "  speech  we  get  a  good  example, 
where  Cassius  tells  Brutus  that  Csesar,  when  he  had  a 
fever,  cried,  " 4  Give  me  some  drink,  Titinius,'  like  a  sick 
girl."  It  seems  to  me  that  the  whole  matter  of  atmos- 
phere, as  far  as  quoted  words  are  concerned,  will  be  made 
clear  to  the  student  by  a  study  of  this  simple  passage. 
Cassius  is  so  exercised  over  the  success  of  Csesar,  and  his 


ATMOSPHERE.  347 

own  consequent  humiliation,  that  his  scorn  and  rage  are 
well-nigh  boundless.  As  the  torrent  of  his  emotion  rushes 
forth, -is  it  not  entirely  inconsistent  with  our  knowledge  of 
human  nature  to  suppose  that  that  torrent  would  be  so 
impeded  or  arrested  when  Cassius  came  to  the  above 
words,  that  he  would  stop  to  reproduce  the  actual  manner 
and  tones  of  Csesar?  What  Cassius  probably  does  is  to 
suggest  something  of  the  effeminate  manner  of  Caesar  en- 
veloped in  Cassius'  own  atmosphere  of  bitterest  loathing 
and  contempt.  The  student  will  be  helped  in  work  of  this 
kind  by  asking  himself  the  question,  What  is  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  speaker?  And  this  applies  to  all  forms  of 
literature,  —  dramatic,  epic,  and  so  forth.  Then  having 
determined  this,  he  must  next  make  up  his  mind,  through 
his  knowledge  of  human  nature,  to  what  extent  this  at- 
mosphere is  modified  by  the  quoted  words  that  are  intro- 
duced into  the  body  of  the  story.  He  may  be  assisted  in 
determining  this  by  putting  the  question  to  himself,  Is 
what  the  quoted  words  convey,  or  the  manner  in  which 
they  are  conveyed,  of  the  greater  importance?  This  is 
well  illustrated  in  King  Robert  of  Sicily.  It  makes  no 
difference  in  this  particular  poem  how  the  sexton  uttered 
the  words,  "  Who  .is  there  ?  "  and,  consequently,  it  would 
be  a  mistake  to  give  them  any  very  significant  atmosphere. 
As  a  matter  of  fact, .  the  words  are  really  equivalent  to 
indirect  discourse;  the  expression  would  convey  exactly 
the  same  meaning  to  the  listener  if  read,  Asking  who 
was  within.  The  following  from  King  Lear  is  full  of 
suggestiveness  in  this  connection.  The  student  will  re- 
member that  Kent  has  sent  a  gentleman  to  Cordelia  to 
tell  her  of  the  condition  of  her  father.  Later  in  the  drama, 
Kent  meets  the  gentleman,  and  from  him  gets  the  story  of 


348  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

the  manner  in  which  Cordelia  received  the  sad  news  of  her 
father's  suffering.  How  truly  ridiculous  it  would  be  for 
the  gentleman  to  imitate  the  manner  of  Cordelia.  The 
psychological  explanation  of  what  happens  is  probably 
this :  As  he  relates  the  story  to  Kent,  the  tearful  face  and 
voice  of  Cordelia  come  into  his  mind,  and,  since  there  is 
always  in  human  nature  a  tendency  to  become  that  which 
one  describes,  something  of  the  manner  of  Cordelia  will  be 
suggested  in  the  voice  of  the  speaker ;  but  let  us  bear  in 
mind  that  the  imitation  is  not  conscious,  but  sympathetic. 
I  do  not  mean  that  the  reader  is  not  conscious  of  what  he 
is  doing,  but  that  the  gentleman  (to  use  a  concrete  illus- 
tration) was  not  consciously  imitating  Cordelia.  The 
artistic  reader  in  reproducing  this  scene  is  conscious  of 
what  he  is  doing,  but  consciously  sympathetic,  not  imi- 
tative. — 

KENT.     Did  your  letters  pierce  the  queen  to  any  demonstration  of 
grief  ? 

GENTLEMAN.     Ay,  sir;  she  took  them,  read  them  in  my  presence; 
And  now  and  then  an  ample  tear  trilled  down 
Her  delicate  cheek:  it  seemed,  she  was  a  queen 
Over  her  passion,  who,  most  rebel-like, 
Sought  to  be  king  o'er  her. 

KENT.  O,  then  it  moved  her. 

GENTLEMAN.     Not  to  a  rage  :  patience  and  sorrow  strove 
Who  should  express  her  goodliest.     You  have  seen 
Sunshine  and  rain  at  once  ;  her  smiles  and  tears 
Were  like  a  better  May  :  those  happy  smilets 
That  played  on  her  ripe  lip,  seemed  not  to  know 
What  guests  were  in  her  eyes,  which  parted  thence 
As  pearls  from  diamonds  dropped.  —  In  brief, 
Sorrow  would  be  a  rarity  most  beloved, 
If  all  could  so  become  it. 

KENT.  Made  she  no  verbal  question  ? 

GENTLEMAN.     'Faith,   once,   or  twice,   she  heav'd  the  name  of 
"father" 


ATMOSPHERE.  349 

Pan'.ingly  forth,  as  if  it  pressed  her  heart ; 

Cried,  "Sisters!  sisters!    Shame  of  ladies!  sisters! 

Kent!  father!  sisters!    What?  i'  the  storm?  i'  the  night? 

Let  pity  not  be  believed!"  —  There  she  shook 

The  holy  water  from  her  heavenly  eyes, 

And  clamor  moistened  :  then  away  she  started 

To  deal  with  grief  alone. 

King  Lear,  Act  IV.,  Sc.  iii. 

This  leads  to  another  feature  of  the  study  of  atmos- 
phere. In  the  following  lines  in  the  Ode  on  the  Death  of 
the  Duke  of  Wellington,  we  certainly  speak  slowly ;  but  let 
it  be  remembered  that  this  is  done,  not  in  imitation  of  the 
slowness  of  the  funeral  procession,  but  in  sympathy  with 
it.  The  solemnity  and  dignity  of  the  occasion  so  affect 
us  that  our  movement  becomes  slow,  and  this  movement, 
combined  with  the  right  vocal  quality,  gives  us  the  proper 
atmosphere. 

Where  shall  we  lay  the  man  whom  we  deplore  ? 
Here,  in  streaming  London's  central  roar. 
Let  the  sound  of  those  he  wrought  for, 
And  the  feet  of  those  he  fought  for, 
Echo  round  his  bones  for  evermore. 

Lead  out  the  pageant :  sad  and  slow, 

As  fits  an  universal  woe, 

Let  the  long,  long  procession  go, 

And  let  the  sorrowing  crowd  about  it  grow, 

And  let  the  mournful  martial  music  blow  ; 

The  last  great  Englishman  is  low. 

Let  the  bell  be  toll'd  : 

And  a  deeper  knell  in  the  heart  be  knolled  ; 

And  the  sound  of  the  sorrowing  anthem  roll'd 

Thro'  the  dome  of  the  golden  cross  ; 

And  the  volleying  cannon  thunder  his  loss. 

Let  us  remember,  too,  that  an  event  which  once  filled 
us  with  joy  may  be  recalled  with  pain  and  sorrow,  and 


350  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

that  it  is  our  present  condition  that  determines  the  atmos- 
phere. 

The  untrained  reader  is  altogether  too  prone  to  imita- 
tion ;  but  let  him  bear  in  mind  that  imitation,  if  ever  art, 
is  its  lowest  form.  The  province  of  the  reader  is  to  mani- 
fest, through  his  rendition,  the  innermost  spirit  of  the 
poem.  Very  often  by  imitating,  by  literally  reproducing, 
the  voice,  manner,  and  movements,  we  obscure  the  under- 
lying spirit  of  che  line,  paragraph,  or  poem.  There  are 
certain  readers,  for  instance,  who  sing,  "  Non  ti  scordar  di 
me"  in  Aux  Italiens.  For  the  sake  of  argument,  I  am 
willing  to  confess  that  at  the  end  of  the  poem  there  might 
be  some  slightest  justification  for  this  procedure;  but  in 
the  beginning,  it  is  absolutely  indefensible.  The  speaker 
is  in  a  deep  reverie ;  he  dwells  in  the  past.  His  mind 
goes  back  to  a  visit  to  the  opera-house  in  Paris,  years  ago. 
The  opera  is  II  Trovatore  ;  and  the  heroine  comes  before  us 
seeking  her  lover,  who  has  been  snatched  from  her  arms 
through  the  jealousy  of  another.  She  arrives  before  the 
monastery  as  the  monks  chant  the  Miserere.  Her  prayer 
ascends  heavenward ;  and  when  she  ceases,  there  rises  clear 
and  passionately  the  voice  of  her  lover  from  within  his 
cell,  singing,  "Non  ti  scordar  di  me"  (Forget  me  not). 
As  the  audience  in  the  opera-house  hear  these  words, 
their  minds  go  back  to  the  past.  The  king  goes  back  to 
his  early  triumphs ;  the  queen's  mind  reverts  to  her  life 
in  Spain;  the  wife  of  the  Marquis  of  Carabas  lets  her 
thoughts  glide  back  to  her  first  husband;  and  to  the 
speaker's  mind  there  comes  the  vision  of  his  early  love. 
"Non  ti  scordar  di  me"  then,  is  the  source  of  the  poem. 
The  tie  that  binds  us  to  the  past  is  the  poet's  theme  :  "  Old 
things  are  best."  Now  let  us  look  at  the  stanza  at  the 
end  of  which  occurs  the  line  we  are  discussing :  - — 


ATMOSPHERE.  351 

"  The  moon  on  the  tower  slept  soft  as  snow  •, 
And  who  was  not  thrilled  in  the  strangest  way, 
As  we  heard  him  sing  while  the  gas  burned  low, 
lNon  ti  scordar  di  me.'" 

In  the  first  place,  when  one  sings  these  lines,  he  is  just  a 
little  likely  to  be  deemed  presumptuous  when  we  bear  in 
mind  that  the  previous  stanza  has  said  :  — 

"  And  Mario  can  soothe  with  a  tenor  note, 
The  souls  in  purgatory." 

It  is  hardly  likely  that  the  reader  is  a  Mario;  but  this 
is  a  small  criticism,  comparatively  speaking.  The  atmos- 
phere of  the  poem  is  one  of  reverie ;  and  what  possesses 
the  speaker  is  not  the  literal  way  the  words  were  sung, 
but  the  memory  of  the  thrill  that  passed  through  him  and 
through  the  audience  as  these  words  rang  out  in  a  pause 
of  the  solemn  Miserere  of  the  monks.  Let  it  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  argument  is  not  against  the  singing  as  sing- 
ing, but  against  the  method  that  would  completely  destroy 
the  atmosphere  of  the  poem  for  the  sake  of  a  vocal  affec- 
tation. What  should  be  expressed  is  the  rapture  of  the 
speaker  as  he  recalls  those  passionate  words  and  tones,  in 
his  present  moment  of  contemplation.  There  are  .certain 
reprints  of  this  poem  that  leave  out  the  stanzas  describing 
the  effect  of  the  song  on  the  King,  Queen,  and  the  Mar- 
chioness. Does  this  not  prove  that  those  who  print  such 
versions  have  missed  the  very  essence  of  the  story? 

There  is  one  more  element  that-we  are  to  discuss  in 
this  connection,  and  that  is  the  atmosphere  of  sympathy 
that  envelops  the  reading  of  description.  This  atmos- 
phere is  the  result  of  the  effect  upon  us  of  that  which  the 
author  describes. 


352  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

The  tendency  of  most  readers  is  towards  imitation,  — 
to  groan  and  moan,  and  laugh  and  cry,  whenever  those 
words  appear  in  the  recitation.  In  such  passages  as  the 
following  from  Aldrich's  Face  Against  the  Pane,  I  have 
heard  more  than  one  reader  imitate  the  screeching  and 
the  moaning,  and  the  groaning  and  the  breaking. 

She  hears  the  sea  bird  screech, 
And  the  breakers  on  the  beach 
Making  moan,  making  moan. 

And  again,  in  the  same  poem,  I  have  heard  imitations  of 
the  tolling  bells  in  — 

How  it  tolls  for  the  souls 
Of  the  sailors  on  the  sea! 

In  these  passages  and  all  similar  ones,  as,  for  instance, 
those  already  quoted  from  The  Ode  on  the  Death  of  Wel- 
lington, our  aim  should  be  to  manifest  through  the  atmos- 
phere the  effect  of  the  description  upon  ourselves. 

Occasionally  there  is  partial  imitation,  but  its  occur- 
rence is  rare.  Our  movement  is  rapid,  in  sympathy  with 
the  movement  of  the  selection  ;  but  it  must  be  remembered 
that  even  here  the  voice  quality  still  manifests  rather  than 
imitates.  Act  III.,  scene  iii.,  of  King  Robert  of  Sicily  is 
a  case  in  point.  The  question  of  imitation  and  manifesta- 
tion as  applied  to  gesture  will  be  discussed  in  a  separate 
chapter. 

STUDIES    IN   ATMOSPHERE. 

Half  a  league,  half  a  league, 

Half  a  league  onward, 
All  in  the  valley  of  Death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 


ATMOSPHERE.  353 

"  Forward,  the  Light  Brigade  ! 
Charge  for  the  guns  !"  he  said  : 
Into  the  valley  of  Death 
Rode  the  six  hundred. 

"  Forward,  the  Light  Brigade  ! " 
Was  there  a  man  dismayed  ? 
Not  tho'  the  soldiers  knew 

Some  one  had  blunder' d  : 
Theirs  not  to  make  reply, 
Theirs  not  to  reason  why, 
Theirs  but  to  do  and  die  : 
Into  the  valley  of  Death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 

Cannon  to  right  of  them, 
Cannon  to  left  of  them, 
Cannon  in  front  of  them 

Volley'd  and  thunder'd  ; 
Storm'd  at  with  shot  and  shell, 
Boldly  they  rode  and  well, 
Into  the  jaws  of  Death, 
Into  the  mouth  of  Hell 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 

Flash'd  all  their  sabers  bare, 
Flash'd  as  they  turn'd  in  air 
Sabring  the  gunners  there, 
Charging  an  army,  while 

All  the  world  wonder'd  : 
Plunged  in  the  battery  smoke 
Right  thro'  the  line  they  broke  ; 
Cossack  and  Russian 
Reel'd  from  the  saber-stroke 

Shatter'd  and  sunder'd. 
Then  they  rode  back,  but  not — 

Not  the  six  hundred. 

Cannon  to  right  of  them, 
Cannon  to  left  of  them, 
Cannon  behind  them 

Volley'd  and  thunder'd  ; 
Storm'd  at  with  shot  and  shell, 
While  horse  and  hero  fell, 


354  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

They  that  had  fought  so  well 
Came  thro'  the  jaws  of  Death, 
Back  from  the  mouth  of  Hell, 
All  that  was  left  of  them, 
Left  of  six  hundred. 

When  can  their  glory  fade? 
O  the  wild  charge  they  made  ! 

All  the  world  wonder' d. 
Honor  the  charge  they  made 
Honor  the  Light  Brigade, 

Noble  six  hundred  ! 

TENNYSON,   The  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  Charge  is  that  of  a  dirge. 
This  does  not  mean  that  we  snivel  and  whine  while  ren- 
dering it,  but  that  the  whole  poem  is  enveloped  in  the 
atmosphere  of  dignified  solemnity.  I  am  aware  that  this 
is  not  the  popular  view,  which  seems  to  be  that  Tennyson 
wrote  the  poem  to  afford  the  reader  an  opportunity  of 
making  descriptive  gestures.  Tennyson's  heart  ached  for 
those  brave  fellows  in  their  useless  sacrifice ;  and  he  wrote 
the  poem,  not  to  show  how  they  fought,  but  that  they 
fought  in  vain.  True,  there  is  a  vein  of  stirring  patriot- 
ism in  the  lines,  but  all  that  is  inferior  in  importance  to 
the  dignified  solemnity  and  controlled  pathos  of  the  speaker. 
The  same  principle  obtains  here  as  is  explained  in  the 
chapter  on  descriptive  gesture. 

As  thro'  the  land  at  eve  we  went, 

And  pluck'd  the  ripen'd  ears, 
We  fell  out,  my  wife  and  I, 
O  we  fell  out  I  know  not  why, 

And  kiss'd  again  with  tears. 
And  blessings  on  the  falling  out 

That  all  the  more  endears, 
When  we  fall  out  with  those  we  love 

And  kiss  again  with  tears  ! 


A  TMOSPHERE.  355 

For  when  we  came  where  lies  the  child 

We  lost  in  other  years, 
There  above  the  little  grave, 
O  there  above  the  little  grave, 

We  kiss'd  again  with  tears. 

TENNYSON. 

The  essence  of  these  exquisite  lines  is  in  their  tender  sim- 
plicity. 

Sweet  and  low,  sweet  and  low, 

Wind  of  the  western  sea, 
Low,  low,  breathe  and  blow, 

Wind  of  the  western  sea  ! 
Over  the  rolling  waters  go, 
Come  from  the  dying  moon,  and  blow, 

Blow  him  again  to  me  ; 
While  my  little  one,  while  my  pretty  one,  sleeps. 

Sleep  and  rest,  sleep  and  rest, 

Father  will  come  to  thee  soon  ; 
Rest,  rest,  on  mother's  breast, 

Father  will  come  to  thee  soon  ; 
Father  will  come  to  his  babe  in  the  nest, 
Silver  sails  all  out  of  the  west 

Under  the  silver  moon  : 

Sleep,  my  little  one,  sleep,  my  pretty  one,  sleep. 

TENNYSON* 

Blow  trumpet,  for  the  world  is  white  with  May  ; 
Blow  trumpet,  the  long  night  hath  roll'd  away  ! 
Blow  thro'  the  living  world —  "Let  the  King  reign." 

Shall  Rome  or  Heathen  rule  in  Arthur's  reajm  ? 
Flash  brand  and  lance,  fall  battleaxe  upon  helm, 
Fall  battleaxe,  and  flash  brand  !     Let  the  King  reign. 

Strike  for  the  King,  and  live  !  his  knights  have  heard 

That  God  hath  told  the  King  a  secret  word. 

Fall  battleaxe,  and  flash  brand  !     Let  the  King  reign. 

Blow  trumpet  !  he  will  lift  us  from  the  dust. 
Blow  trumpet  !  live  the  strength  and  die  the  lust  ! 
Clang  battleaxe,  and  clash  brand  !     Let  the  King  reign. 


355  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

Strike  for  the  King  and  die  !  and  if  thou  diest, 

The  King  is  King,  and  ever  wills  the  highest. 

Clang  battleaxe,  and  clash  brand  !     Let  the  King  reign. 

Blow,  for  our  Sun  is  mighty  in  his  May  ! 

Blow,  for  our  Sun  is  mightier  day  by  day  ! 

Clang  battleaxe,  and  clash  brand  !     Let  the  King  reign. 

The  King  will  follow  Christ,  and  we  the  King 
In  whom  high  God  hath  breathed  a  secret  thing. 
Fall  battleaxe,  and  flash  brand  !     Let  the  King  reign. 

TENNYSON,  "  Knights'  Chorus"  from  The  Coming  of  Arthur . 

It  would  hardly  be  appropriate  to  imitate  the  blow  of  the 
trumpet;  and,  striking  as  the  effect  would  be,  it  would 
not  be  highest  art  to  have  an  accompaniment  of  clanging 
arms. 

But  Rustum  eyed  askance  the  kneeling  youth, 
And  turn'd  away,  and  spake  to  his  own  soul  :  — 

"  Ah  me,  I  muse  what  this  young  fox  may  mean ! 
False,  wily,  boastful,  are  these  Tartar  boys. 
For  if  I  now  confess  this  thing  he  asks, 
And  hide  it  not,  but  say  :  'Rustum  is  here  !' 
He  will  not  yield  indeed,  nor  quit  our  foes, 
But  he  will  find  some  pretext  not  to  fight, 
And  praise  my  fame,  and  proffer  courteous  gifts, 
A  belt  or  sword  perhaps,  and  go  his  way. 
And  on  a  feast  tide,  in  Afrasiab's  hall, 
In  Samarcand,  he  will  arise  and  cry  : 
'  I  challenged  once,  when  the  two  armies  camp'd 
Beside  the  Oxus,  all  the  Persian  lords 
To  cope  with  me  in  single  fight ;  but  they 
Shrank,  only  Rustum  dared  ;  then  he  and  I 
Changed  gifts,  and  went  on  equal  terms  away.' 
So  will  he  speak,  perhaps,  while  men  applaud  ; 
Then  were  the  chiefs  of  Iran  shamed  through  me." 

M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 

Note  that  when  Rustum  utters  the  supposititious  words  of 
Sohrab  he  would  still  speak  in  the  musing  mood.  It  is 


ATMOSPHERE.  357 

still  the  voice  and  manner  of  Rustum  with  the  faint  sug- 
gestion of  the  other's  supposed  boastfulness. 

He  spoke,  and  Sohrab  kindled  at  his  taunts, 
And  he  too  drew  his  sword  ;  at  once  they  rush'd 
Together,  as  two  eagles  on  one  prey 
Come  rushing  down  together  from  the  clouds, 
One  from  the  east,  one  from  the  west ;  their  shields 
Dash'd  with  a  clang  together,  and  a  din 
Rose,  such  as  that  the  sinewy  woodcutters 
Make  often  in  the  forest's  heart  at  morn, 
Of  hewing  axes,  crashing  trees  —  such  blows 
Rustum  and  Sohrab  on  each  other  hail'd. 
And  you  would  say  that  sun  and  stars  took  part 
In  that  unnatural  conflict  ;  for  a  cloud 
Grew  suddenly  in  heaven,  and  dark'd  the  sun 
Over  the  fighters'  heads  ;  and  a  wind  rose 
Under  their  feet,  and  moaning  swept  the  plain, 
And  in  a  sandy  whirlwind  wrapp'd  the  pair. 
In  gloom  they  twain  were  wrapp'd,  and  they  alone  ; 
For  both  the  on-looking  hosts  on  either  hand 
Stood  in  broad  daylight,  and  the  sky  was  pure, 
And  the  sun  sparkled  on  the  Oxus  stream. 
But  in  the  gloom  they  fought,  with  bloodshot  eyes 
And  laboring  breath  :  first  Rustum  struck  the  shield 
Which  Sohrab  held  stiff  out  ;  the  steel-spiked  spear 
Rent  the  tough  plates,  but  fail'd  to  reach  the  skin, 
And  Rustum  pluck'd  it  back  with  angry  groan. 
Then  Sohrab  with  his  sword  smote  Rustum's  helm, 
Nor  clove  its  steel  quite  through  ;  but  all  the  crest 
He  shore  away,  and  that  proud  horsehair  plume, 
Never  till  now  defiled,  sank  to  the  dust; 
And  Rustum  bow'd  his  head  ;   but  then  the  gloom 
Grew  blacker,  thunder  rumbled  in  the  air, 
And  lightnings  rent  the  cloud  ;   and  Ruksh,  the  horse, 
Who  stood  at  hand,  utter'd  a  dreadful  cry  ;  — 
No  horse's  cry  was  that,  most  like  the  roar 
Of  some  pain'd  desert  lion,  who  all  day 
Hath  trail'd  the  hunter's  javelin  in  his  side, 
And  comes  at  night  to  die  upon  the  sand. 
The  two  hosts  heard  that  cry,  and  quaked  for  fear, 
And  Oxus  curdled  as  it  cross'd  his  stream. 

M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 


358  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

The  above  is  a  good  illustration  of  sympathy.  We  are 
not  to  be  eagles  and  the  wind  and  the  sand,  but  to  mani- 
fest the  awe  which  overwhelms  us  as  we  describe  the  ter- 
rible struggle  of  this  father  and  son,  each  ignorant  of  the 
identity  of  the  other. 

As  when  some  hunter  in  the  spring  hath  found 
A  breeding  eagle  sitting  on  her  nest, 
Upon  the  craggy  isle  of  a  hill  lake, 
And  pierced  her  with  an  arrow  as  she  rose, 
And  follow'd  her  to  find  her  where  she  fell 
Far  off  ;  —  anon  her  mate  comes  winging  back 
From  hunting,  and  a  great  way  off  descries 
His  huddling  young  left  sole  ;  at  that,  he  checks 
His  pinion,  and  with  short  uneasy  sweeps 
Circles  above  his  eyry,  with  loud  screams 
Chiding  his  mate  back  to  her  nest  ;  but  she 
Lies  dying,  with  the  arrow  in  her  side, 
In  some  far  stony  gorge  out  of  his  ken, 
A  heap  of  fluttering  feathers  —  never  more 
Shall  the  lake  glass  her,  flying  over  it ; 
Never  the  black  and  dripping  precipices 
Echo  her  stormy  scream  as  she  sails  by  — 
As  that  poor  bird  flies  home,  nor  knows  his  loss, 
So  Rustum  knew  not  his  own  loss,  but  stood 
Over  his  dying  son,  and  knew  him  not. 

M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 

Rustum  has  mortally  wounded  his  son  in  the  combat,  and 
now  the  poet  introduces  the  above  exquisite  simile.  It 
is  a  fine  study  in  the  reading  of  description. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

CONTRAST. 

THE  definition  of  contrast  has  already  been  given.  In 
literature  there  are  found  illustrations  upon  every  page. 
There  are  contrasts  of  words,  contrasts  of  emotions,  con- 
trasts of  scenes,  contrasts  of  characters,  and  many  others. 
Under  the  head  of  "  Complex  Relations  "  will  be  found 
numerous  examples  of  the  first  class.  We  shall  here  con- 
sider a  few  illustrations  of  the  other  classes,  while  later  on 
the  student  will  find  illustrations  for  more  extended  study. 

Contrast  of  emotion  is  admirably  illustrated  in  the  fol- 
lowing scene  from  The  Merchant  of  Venice,  Act  III.,  Sc.  i. 

Enter  TUBAL. 

SHYLOCK.  How  now,  Tubal  !  what  news  from  Genoa  ?  hast  thou 
found  my  daughter  ? 

TUBAL.     I  often  came  where  I  did  hear  of  her,  but  cannot  find  her. 

SHYLOCK.  Why  there,  there,  there,  there  !  a  diamond  gone,  cost 
me  two  thousand  ducats  in  Frankfort  !  The  curse  never  fell  upon  our 
nation  till  now;  I  never  felt  it  till  now: —  two  thousand  ducats  in  that; 
and  other  precious,  precious  jewels.  I  would  my  daughter  were  dead 
at  my  foot,  and  the  jewels  in  her  ear  !  would  she  were  hearsed  at  my 
foot,  and  the  ducats  in  her  coffin  !  No  news  of  them  ?  Why,  so  ;  — 
and  I  know  not  what's  spent  in  the  search  :  why,  thou  loss  upon  loss  ! 
the  thief  gone  with  so  much,  and  so  much  to  find  the  thief  ;  and  no 
satisfaction,  no  revenge  :  nor  no  ill  luck  stirring  but  what  lights  on  my 
shoulders  ;  no  sighs  but  of  my  breathing  ;  no  tears  but  of  my  shedding. 

TUBAL.  Yes,  other  men  have  ill  luck  too.  Antonio,  as  I  heard  in 
Genoa,  — 

359 


MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

SHYLOCK.     What,  what,  what  ?  ill  luck,  ill  luck  ? 

TUBAL.     Hath  an  argosy  cast  away,  coming  from  Tripolis. 

SHYLOCK.     I  thank  God,  I  thank  God  !     Is  it  true,  is  it  true  ? 

TUBAL.     I  spoke  with  some  of  the  sailors  that  escaped  the  wreck. 

SHYLOCK.  I  thank  thee,  good  Tubal.  Good  news,  good  news  ! 
ha,  ha  !  —  Where  ?  in  Genoa  ? 

TUBAL.  Your  daughter  spent  in  Genoa,  as  I  heard,  one  night 
fourscore  ducats. 

SHYLOCK.  Thou  stick' st  a  dagger  in  me  ;  I  shall  never  see  my  gold 
again.  Fourscore  ducats  at  a  sitting  !  fourscore  ducats  ! 

TUBAL.  There  came  divers  of  Antonio's  creditors  in  my  company 
to  Venice,  that  swear  he  cannot  choose  but  break. 

SHYLOCK.  I  am  very  glad  of  it :  I'll  plague  him  ;  I'll  torture 
him  :  I  am  glad  of  it. 

TUBAL.  One  of  them  showed  me  a  ring  that  he  had  of  your 
daughter  for  a  monkey. 

SHYLOCK.  Out  upon  her  !  Thou  torturest  me,  Tubal  :  it  was  my 
turquoise  ;  I  had  it  of  Leah  when  I  was  a  bachelor.  I  would  not  have 
given  it  for  a  wilderness  of  monkeys. 

TUBAL.     But  Antonio  is  certainly  undone. 

SHYLOCK.  Nay,  that's  true,  that's  very  true.  Go,  Tubal,  fee  me 
an  officer  ;  bespeak  him  a  fortnight  before.  I  will  have  the  heart  of 
him,  if  he  forfeit ;  for,  were  he  out  of  Venice,  I  can  make  what  mer- 
chandise I  will.  Go,  go,  Tubal,  and  meet  me  at  our  synagogue  ;  go 
good  Tubal  ;  at  our  synagogue,  Tubal. 

Contrasted  scenes  are  hardly  to  be  considered  apart 
from  the  effect  the  contrasts  may  have  upon  the  emo- 
tions. Once  more  we  select  a  paragraph  from  Robert 
of  Sicily,  wherein  the  degraded  king  is  set  in  the  midst 
of  the  gorgeous  pageant.  The  emotion  engendered  by  the 
first  scene  is  pleasing  and  joyful,  while  by  the  second  we 
are  moved  to  pity  and  disdain. 

Almost  three  years  were  ended;  when  there  came 
Ambassadors  of  great  repute  and  name 
From  Valmond,  Emperor  of  Allemaine, 
Unto  King  Robert,  saying  that  Pope  Urbane 
By  letter  summoned  them  forthwith  to  come 
On  Holy  Thursday  to  his  city  ef  Rome. 


CONTRAST.  86\ 

The  Angel  with  great  joy  received  his  guests, 

And  gave  them  presents  of  embroidered  vests, 

And  velvet  mantles  with  rich  ermine  lined, 

And  rings  and  jewels  of  the  rarest  kind. 

Then  he  departed  with  them  o'er  the  sea 

Into  the  lovely  land  of  Italy, 

Whose  loveliness  was  more  resplendent  made 

By  the  mere  passing  of  that  cavalcade, 

With  plumes,  and  cloaks,  and  housings,  and  the  stir 

Of  jeweled  bridle  and  of  golden  spur. 

And  lo!  among  the  menials,  in  mock  state, 

Upon  a  piebald  steed,  with  shambling  gait, 

His  cloak  of  foxtails  napping  in  the  wind, 

The  solemn  ape  demurely  perched  behind, 

King  Robert  rode,  making  huge  merriment 

In  all  the  country  towns  through  which  they  went. 

Contrast  of  character  is  brought  out  in  every  great 
play.  Horatio  and  Hamlet,  Cordelia  and  her  sisters, 
Macbeth  and  his  wife,  suggest  themselves  as  examples. 
The  third  act  of  King  Lear,  where  the  jester's  jibes  are 
interpolated  between  the  fearful  outbursts  of  the  king,  is 
a  striking  example  of  character  contrast. 

Before  concluding  this  discussion  it  may  be  well  to  re- 
mark that  the  two  parts  of  a  contrast  do  not  always  occur 
in  succession.  Do  not  the  last  three  or  four  speeches  of 
Shylock  depend  for  their  effect  upon  the  audience  keeping 
in  mind  his  emotions  and  bearing  during  the  former 
scenes  ?  Let  the  audience  forget  these,  and  they  have 
lost  a  most  significant  aesthetic  detail.  Similarly,  when 
King  Robert  utters  the  speech  beginning,  "  Thou  knowest 
best,"  the  whole  effect  is  lost  unless  we  bear  in  mind  that 
never  for  three  years  has  his  answer  to  the  angel's  ques- 
tion been  other  than,  "  I  am,  I  am  the  king." 

Sheltered  by  the  verdant  shores,  an  hundred  triremes  were 
riding  proudly  at  their  anchors,  their  brazen  beaks  glittering  in  the 


362  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

sun,  their  streamers  dancing  in  the  morning  breeze,  while  many  a 
shattered  plank  and  timber  gave  evidence  of  desperate  conflicts  with 

the  fleets  of  Rome. 

KELLOGG,  Regulus  to  the  Carthaginians. 

The  multitude  swayed  to  and  fro  like  a  forest  beneath  a  tem- 
pest, and  the  rage  and  hate  of  that  tumultuous  throng,  vented  itself 
in  groans,  and  curses,  and  yells  of  vengeance.  But  calm,  cold  and 
immovable  as  the  marble  walls  around  him  stood  the  Roman.  —  Ibid. 

If  there  be  three  in  all  your  company  dare  face  me  on  the 
bloody  sands,  let  them  come  on.  And  yet  I  was  not  always  thus, 
a  hired  butcher,  a  savage  chief  of  still  more  savage  men  !  My  an- 
cestors came  from  old  Sparta,  and  settled  among  the  vine-clad  rocks 
and  citron  groves  of  Syrasella.  My  early  life  ran  quiet  as  the 
brooks  by  which  I  sported ;  and  when  at  noon  I  gathered  the  sheep 
beneath  the  shade,  and  played  upon  the  shepherd's  flute,  there  was 
a  friend  to  join  me  in  the  pastime.  .  .  .  One  evening,  my  grand- 
sire,  an  old  man,  was  telling  of  Marathon  and  Leuctra,  and  how,  in 
ancient  times,  a  little  band  of  Spartans,  in  a  defile  of  the  mountains, 
had  withstood  a  whole  army.  I  did  not  then  know  what  war  was ; 
but  my  cheeks  burned,  and  I  clasped  the  knees  of  that  venerable 
man,  until  my  mother,  parting  the  hair  from  off  my  forehead, 
kissed  my  throbbing  temples  and  bade  me  go  to  rest,  and  think 
no  more  of  those  old  tales  and  savage  wars.  That  very  night  the 
Romans  landed  on  our  coast.  I  saw  the  breast  that  had  nourished 
me  trampled  by  the  hoof  of  the  war-horse,  and  the  bleeding  body  of 
my  father  flung  amidst  the  blazing  rafters  of  our  dwelling  ! 

KELLOGG,  Spartacus. 

O  Rome,  Rome,  thou  hast  been  a  tender  nurse  to  me!  Ay, 
thou  hast  given  to  that  poor,  gentle,  timid  shepherd  lad,  who  never 
knew  a  harsher  tone  than  a  flute-note,  muscles  of  iron  and  a  heart 
of  flint ;  taught  him  to  gaze  into  the  glaring  eyeballs  of  the  fierce 
Numidian  lion,  even  as  a  boy  upon  a  laughing  girl, 

Ibid. 

The  shouts  of  revelry  had  died  away.  —  Ibid* 

The  roar  of  the  lion  had  ceased.  —  Ibid, 


CONTRAST.  363 

You  all  do  know  this  mantle  :  I  remember. 

The  first  time  ever  Caesar  put  it  on  ; 

'Twas  on  a  summer's  evening  in  his  tent, 

That  day  he  overcame  the  Nervii. 

Look  !  in  this  place  ran  Cassius'  dagger  through. 

Julius  Caesar,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii. 

My  good  blade  carves  the  casques  of  men, 

My  tough  lance  thrusteth  sure, 
My  strength  is  as  the  strength  of  ten, 

Because  my  heart  is  pure. 
The  shattering  trumpet  shrilleth  high, 

The  hard  brands  shiver  on  the  steel, 
The  splinter'd  spear  shafts  crack  and  fly, 

The  horse  and  rider  reel : 
They  reel,  they  roll,  in  clanging  lists, 

And  when  the  tide  of  combat  stands, 
Perfume  and  flowers  fall  in  showers, 

That  lightly  rain  from  ladies'  hands. 

TENNYSON,  Sir  Galahad. 

The  armaments  which  thunderstrike  the  walls  of  rock-built  cities, 
Bidding  nations  quake,  and  monarchs  tremble  in  their  capitals ; 
The  oak  leviathans,  whose  huge  ribs  make  their  clay  creator 
The  vain  title  take  of  lord  of  thee,  and  arbiter  of  war,  — 
These   are  thy  toys  ;  and  as   the  snowy  flake  they  melt    into   thy 

yeast  of  waves, 

Which  mar  alike  the  Armada's  pride,  or  spoils  of  Trafalgar. 

Byron. 

The  selection  entitled  the  "Choric  Song,"  a  part  of 
The  Lotos  Eaters,  is  a  fine  study  in  contrast.  The  speak- 
ers are  the  followers  of  Ulysses,  who  are  debating  whether 
they  shall  remain  in  this  new  found  land  of  the  Lotos  or 
return  to  their  homes.  The  first,  third,  fifth,  and  seventh 
stanzas  are  in  striking  contrast  to  the  others.  The  feel- 
ings of  the  sailors  as  they  alternately  contemplate  their 
life  as  it  is  and  has  been,  in  contrast  with  what  it  might 
be  should  they  remain  here  *vre  ^trikingly  depicted. 


364  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 


There  is  sweet  music  here  that  softer  falls 

Than  petals  from  blown  roses  on  the  grass, 

Or  night-dews  on  still  waters  between  walls 

Of  shadowy  granite,  in  a  gleaming  pass  ; 

Music  that  gentlier  on  the  spirit  lies 

Than  tir'd  eyelids  upon  tir'd  eyes; 

Music  that  brings  sweet  sleep  down  from  the  blissful  skies. 

Here  are  cool  mosses  deep, 

And  thro'  the  moss  the  ivies  creep, 

And  in  the  stream  the  long-leaved  flowers  weep, 

And  from  the  craggy  ledge  the  poppy  hangs  in  sleep. 

ii. 

Why  are  we  weigh'd  upon  with  heaviness, 

And  utterly  consumed  with  sharp  distress, 

While  all  things  else  have  rest  from  weariness  ? 

All  things  have  rest:  why  should  we  toil  alone, 

We  only  toil,  who  are  the  first  of  things, 

And  make  perpetual  moan, 

Still  from  one  sorrow  to  another  thrown: 

Nor  ever  fold  our  wings, 

And  cease  from  wanderings, 

Nor  steep  our  brows  in  slumber's  holy  balm; 

Nor  hearken  what  the  inner  spirit  sings, 

"  There  is  no  joy  but  calm!  " 

Why  should  we  only  toil,  the  roof  and  crown  of  things  ? 

in. 

Lo  !  in  the  middle  of  the  wood 

The  folded  leaf  is  woo'd  from  out  the  bud 

With  winds  upon  the  branch,  and  there 

Grows  green  and  broad,  and  takes  no  care, 

Sun-steep' d  at  noon,  and  in  the  moon 

Nightly  dew-fed ;  and  turning  yellow 

Falls,  and  floats  adown  the  air. 

Lo!  sweeten'd  with  the  summer  light, 

The  full-juic'd  apple,  waxing  over-mellow, 

Drops  in  a  silent  autumn  night. 

All  its  allotted  length  of  days 

The  flower  ripens  in  its  place, 


CONTRAST.  365 

Ripens,  and  fades,  and  falls,  and  hath  no  toil, 
Fast-rooted  in  the  fruitful  soil. 

IV. 

Hateful  is  the  dark-blue  sky, 

Vaulted  o'er  the  dark-blue  sea. 

Death  is  the  end  of  life;  ah,  why 

Should  life  all  labor  be  ? 

Let  us  alone.     Time  driveth  onward  fast, 

And  in  a  little  while  our  lips  are  dumb. 

Let  us  alone.     What  is  it  that  will  last  ? 

All  things  are  taken  from  us,  and  become 

Portions  and  parcels  of  the  dreadful  Past. 

Let  us  alone.     What  pleasure  can  we  have 

To  war  with  evil  ?     Is  there  any  peace 

In  ever  climbing  up  the  climbing  wave  ? 

All  things  have  rest,  and  ripen  toward  the  grave 

In  silence;  ripen,  fall,  and  cease: 

Give  us  long  rest  or  death,  dark  death,  or  dreamful  ease. 

v. 

How  sweet  it  were,  hearing  the  downward  stream, 

With  half-shut  eyes  ever  to  seem 

Falling  asleep  in  a  half  dream! 

To  dream  and  dream,  like  yonder  amber  light, 

Which  will  not  leave  the  myrrh  bush  on  the  height ; 

To  hear  each  other's  whisper' d  speech  ; 

Eating  the  Lotos  day  by  day, 

To  watch  the  crisping  ripples  on  the  beach, 

And  tender  curving  lines  of  creamy  spray  ; 

To  lend  our  hearts  and  spirits  wholly 

To  the  influence  of  mild-minded  melancholy  ; 

To  muse  and  brood  and  live  again  in  memory, 

With  those  old  faces  of  our  infancy 

Heap'd  over  with  a  mound  of  grass, 

Two  handfuls  of  white  dust,  shut  in  aa  urn  of  brass! 


Dear  is  the  memory  of  our  wedded  lives, 
And  dear  the  last  embraces  of  our  wives 
And  their  warm  tears  :  but  all  hath  suffer'd  change  : 


366  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

For  surely  now  our  household  hearths  are  cold  : 

Our  sons  inherit  us  :  our  looks  are  strange  ; 

And  we  should  come  like  ghosts  to  trouble  joy. 

Or  else  the  island  princes  over-bold 

Have  eat  our  substance,  and  the  minstrel  sings 

Before  them  of  the  ten  years'  war  in  Troy, 

And  our  great  deeds,  as  half-forgotten  things. 

Is  there  confusion  in  the  little  isle  ? 

Let  what  is  broken  so  remain. 

The  Gods  are  hard  to  reconcile  : 

'Tis  hard  to  settle  order  once  again. 

There  is  confusion  worse  than  death, 

Trouble  on  trouble,  pain  on  pain, 

Long  labor  unto  aged  breath, 

Sore  task  to  hearts  worn  out  by  many  wars 

And  eyes  grown  dim  with  gazing  on  the  pilot-stars. 

VII. 

But,  propt  on  beds  of  amaranth  and  moly, 

How  sweet  (while  warm  airs  lull  us,  blowing  lowly) 

With  half-dropt  eyelid  still, 

Beneath  a  heaven  dark  and  holy, 

To  watch  the  long  bright  river  drawing  slowly 

His  waters  from  the  purple  hill  — 

To  hear  the  dewy  echoes  calling 

From  cave  to  cave  thro'  the  thick-twined  vine  — 

To  watch  the  emerald-color'd  water  falling 

Thro'  many  a  wov'n  acanthus-wreath  divine! 

Only  to  see  and  hear  the  far-off  sparkling  brine, 

Only  to  hear  were  sweet,  stretch'd  out  beneath  the  pine. 

VIII. 

The  Lotos  blooms  below  the  barren  peak  : 

The  Lotos  blows  by  every  winding  creek  : 

All  day  the  wind  breathes  low  with  mellower  tone  : 

Thro'  every  hollow  cave  and  valley  lone 

Round  and  round  the  spicy  downs  the  yellow  Lotos-dust  is  blown. 

We  have  had  enough  of  action,  and  of  motion  we, 

Roll'd  to  starboard,  rolPd  to  larboard,  when  the  surge  was  seething 

free, 
Where  the  wallowing  monster  spouted  his  foam-fountains  in  the  sea. 


CONTRAST.  367 

Let  us  swear  an  oath,  and  keep  it  with  an  equal  mind, 

In  the  hollow  Lotos-land  to  live  and  lie  reclined 

On  the  hills  like  Gods  together,  careless  of  mankind. 

For  they  lie  beside  their  nectar,  and  the  bolts  are  hurl'd 

Far  below  them  in  the  valleys,  and  the  clouds  are  lightly  curl'd 

Round  their  golden  houses,  girdled  with  the  gleaming  world  : 

Where  they  smile  in  secret,  looking  over  wasted  lands, 

Blight  and  famine,  plague  and  earthquake,  roaring  deeps  and  fiery 

sands, 
Clanging  fights,  and  flaming  towns,  and  sinking  ships,  and  praying 

hands. 

But  they  smile,  they  find  a  music  centered  in  a  doleful  song 
Steaming  up,  a  lamentation  and  an  ancient  tale  of  wrong, 
Like  a  tale  of  little  meaning  tho'  the  words  are  strong  ; 
Chanted  from  an  ill-used  race  of  men  that  cleave  the  soil, 
Sow  the  seed,  and  reap  the  harvest  with  enduring  toil, 
Storing  yearly  little  dues  of  wheat,  and  wine  and  oil  ; 
Till  they  perish  and  they  suffer  —  some,  'tis  whisper1  d —  down  in  hell 
Suffer  endless  anguish,  others  in  Elysian  valleys  dwell, 
Resting  weary  limbs  at  last  on  beds  of  asphodel. 
Surely,  surely,  slumber  is  more  sweet  than  toil,  the  shore 
Than  labor  in  the  deep  mid-ocean,  wind  and  wave  and  oar  ; 
Oh  rest  ye,  brother  mariners,  we  will  not  wander  more. 


CHAPTER  X. 

CLIMAX. 

IN  Genung's  Practical  Rhetoric  we  find  the  follow- 
ing definition  of  Climax  :  "  This -figure,  which  depends 
upon  the  law.,  that  a  thought  must  have  progress,  is  the 
ordering  of  thought  and  expression  so  that  there  shall  be 
uniform  and  evident  increase  in  significance,  or  interest, 
or  intensity." 

An  excellent  illustration  of  increase  in  Significance  is 
found  in  the  following  speech  from  Regulus :  — 

"  The  artisan  had  forsaken  his  shop,  the  judge  his  tribunal,  the 
priest  the  sanctuary,  and  even  the  stern  stoic  had  come  forth  from 
his  retirement." 

Here  the  author  desires  to  show  that  the  return  of 
Regulus  had  thrown  all  Carthage  into  a  state  of  intense 
excitement.  The  artisan,  who  could  ill  afford  to  lose  his 
day's  labor,  had  left  his  shop  to  join  the  throng  that  was 
taking  its  way  to  the  great  square  of  the  city.  The  judge, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  administer  justice,  could  not  refrain 
from  joining  the  crowd.  The  priest,  whose  sacred  office 
was  to  tend  the  altars  of  the  gods,  he  too,  for  once,  was 
neglecting  his  duty.  And  even  the  stern  stoic,  whose 
philosophy  taught  him  to  remain  unmoved  under  any  and 
all  conditions  of  life,  even  he,  perforce,  must  mix  with 
the  multitude  thronging  the  Carthaginian  streets.  Each 

368 


CLIMAX.  369 

succeeding  clause  presents  to  us  a  more  unusual  disturb- 
ance of  the  normal  condition  of  Carthaginian  affairs ;  and 
the  climax  is  reached  when  the  man  whose  whole  philoso- 
phy teaches  him  never  to  be  moved,  even  he  is  impelled 
to  do  violence  to  his  life-long  convictions. 

In  the  following  lines  from  Lord  Chatham's  speech  we 
have  an  illustration  of  the  climax  of  Intensity :  — 

If  I  were  an  American,  as  I  am  an  Englishman,  while  a  foreign 
troop  was  landed  in  my  country,  I  never  would  lay  down  my  arms  ! 
Never !  Never  !  Never ! 

The  verbal  expression  does  not  progress ;  and  yet  the 
emotion  increasing  in  force,  as  the  mind  dwells  upon  the 
thought,  finds  vent  in  increasing  intensity  of  vocal  expres- 
sion. It  may  be  well  to  note  that  by  increasing  the  in- 
tensity is  not  necessarily  meant  greater  loudness  or  higher 
pitch;  but  greater  intensity  of  feeling,  which  may  result 
in  greater  loudness  or  higher  pitch,  or,  on  the  other  hand, 
in  deeper,  more  controlled,  or  more  dignified  expression. 

We  have  thus  far  been  considering  simple  and  palpable 
forms  of  climaxes.  Let  us  turn  now  to  the  examination 
of  the  more  difficult  and  complex.  The  following  speech 
is  uttered  by  Marullus,  one  of  the  tribunes,  in  the  first 
scene  of  the  first  act  of  Julius  Ccesar.  We  recall  the  fact 
that  Marullus  appears  to  be  greatly  surprised  that  the  citi- 
zens of  Rome  should  dress  themselves  in  holiday  garb  and 
make  holiday  to  celebrate  the  return  of  the  victorious 
Ca3sar.  He  inquires  of  them  what  is  their  purpose  in 
thus  celebrating ;  and,  after  considerable  bantering,  one  of 
the  crowd  remarks  that  they  make  holiday  to  see  Caesar,  and 
to  rejoice  in  his  triumph,  whereupon  Marullus  speaks :  — 


370  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

"  Wherefore  rejoice  ?    What  conquest  brings  he  home  ? 
What  tributaries  follow  him  to  Rome, 
To  grace  in  captive  bonds  his  chariot  wheels  ? 
You  blocks,  you  stones,  you  worse  than  senseless  things  ! 
O  you  hard  hearts,  you  cruel  men  of  Rome, 
Knew  you  not  Pompey  ?     Many  a  time  and  oft 
Have  you  climb'd  up  to  walls  and  battlements, 
To  towers  and  windows,  yea,  to  chimney-tops, 
Your  infants  in  your  arms,  and  there  have  sat 
The  livelong  day,  with  patient  expectation, 
To  see  great  Pompey  pass  the  streets  of  Rome  : 
And  when  you  saw  his  chariot  but  appear, 
Have  you  not  made  an  universal  shout, 
That  Tiber  trembled  underneath  her  banks, 
To  hear  the  replication  of  your  sounds 
Made  in  her  concave  shores  ? 
And  do  you  now  put  on  your  best  attire? 
And  do  you  now  cull  out  a  holiday  ? 
And  do  you  now  strew  flowers  in  his  way, 
That  comes  in  triumph  over  Pompey' s  blood  ? 
Be  gone! 

Run  to  your  houses,  fall  upon  your  knees 
Pray  to  the  gods  to  intermit  the  plague 
That  needs  must  light  on  this  ingratitude.' 


The  first  three  ideas  are  arranged  in  order  of  climax.  It 
may  be  termed  a  climax  of  Significance.  But  we  must 
not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that,  throughout  the  speech, 
as  the  emotion  of  Marullus  increases,  we  shall  have  a 
climax  in  Intensity.  In  line  4  we  have  another  climax, 
reaching  its  height  on  the  word  "worse."  Then  with 
"many  a  time  and  oft"  begins  another  climax,  which, 
with  occasional  diminutions,  continues  to  "shores."  In 
the  next  four  lines  we  have  a  climax  which  is  intensi- 
fied by  contrast.  The  word  "  now  "  is  full  of  reproof  and 
condemnation ;  and  by  the  time  the  speaker  utters  the 
words  "  over  Pompey 's  blood  "  he  is  so  overcome  with  the 


CLIMAX.  371 

enormity  of  the  crime  that,  with  the  utmost  fervor,  he 
urges  the  mob  to  run  to  their  houses  and  pray  to  the  gods 
to  refrain  from  visiting  upon  their  heads  the  rightful 
punishment  for  their  crime. 

This  cursory  analysis  of  the  speech  has  shown  us  that 
while  there  is  a  steady  increase  in  intensity  from  the  first 
word  to  the  last,  there  are,  besides,  many  smaller  climaxes 
in  Significance.  We  find  these  in  lines  1  to  3,  line  4, 
lines  6  to  16,  lines  17  to  20,  lines  22  to  24.  It  may  be 
said  in  passing,  that  the  climax  in  lines  17  to  20  forms  a 
very  interesting  study.  "Best  attire,"  "holiday,"  "strew 
flowers  in  his  way,"  are  plainly  arranged  in  order  of  cli- 
max, while  the  three  "  nows "  are  evidently  an  anti- 
climax. The  first  "  now  "  is  most  significant,  while  the 
last  is  of  very  little  importance.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
fact  of  strewing  flowers  in  Caesar's  way  is  clearly  a  very 
much  more  striking  mark  of  their  ingratitude  than  that 
of  merely  putting  on  their  best  attire. 

Just  as  in  the  long  paragraph  that  we  have  analyzed 
we  find  a  climax,  so  in  a  drama  or  in  a  poem  we  find  this 
steady  progression.  That  scene  which  is  the  climax  of 
the  action  is  gradually  led  up  to  by  successive  steps,  each 
one  more  significant  and  intense  than  the  preceding.  The 
artist  is  careful  not  to  destroy  his  effect  by  anti-climax, 
for  to  do  so  would  be  to  lessen  the  interest  of  the  audi- 
ence, and  consequently  defeat  the  very  purpose  of  the 
drama  or  story.  The  play  of  The  Merchant  of  Venice  illus- 
trates this.  Each  scene  manifestly  increases  the  intensity 
which  finally  culminates  in  the  trial  scene,  after  which 
the  play,  being  a  comedy,  descends  to  a  restful  close  at 
the  end  of  the  fifth  act. 

In  recitation  the  ordinary  climax  of  Significance  pre- 


372  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

sents  no  great  difficulty  for  the  reader.  As  soon  as  he 
appreciates  the  fact  of  the  growth  in  significance,  he  will 
manifest  that  increase  in  greater  loudness  or  intensity,  or 
increase  of  passion.  It  may  be  well  to  repeat  that  the 
increase  need  not  he  in  loudness,  nor  is  it  necessary  that 
the  pitch  of  the  voice  be  raised ;  but  there  will  unques- 
tionably be  some  form  of  climax  in  the  expression.  The 
difficulty  begins  when  the  climax  is  made  up  of  smaller 
climaxes,  as  in  the  example  from  Julius  Ccesar,  or  when 
a  climax  is,  so  to  speak,  one  of  considerable  length.  In 
the  latter  case,  the  utmost  care  must  be  used  to  husband 
one's  resources,  that  when  the  moment  of  intensest  feel- 
ing is  reached,  there  shall  be  sufficient  power  to  produce 
the  required  result.  One  of  the  most  striking  defects  in 
oratory,  recitation,  and  acting  is  the  inability  to  present 
climaxes  artistically.  Either  from  a  failure  to  perceive 
their  literary  value,  or  from  lack  of  control,  or  other  limi- 
tations of  technique,  the  effect  is  often  spoiled,  with  most 
disastrous  results.  The  student,  then,  is  advised  to  deter- 
mine carefully  that  point  of  a  passage  or  story  where  the 
strongest  effect  is  to  be  made,  and  then  to  be  careful  to 
subordinate  all  else  to  this. 


GRADATION. 

This  feature  of  literary  art  may  appropriately  be  con- 
sidered in  connection  with  Climax.  The  law  of  grada- 
tion demands  that  the  progress  from  the  smaller  to  the 
greater  be  gradual  and  regular.  In  the  musical  and  elo- 
cutionary arts  this  is  by  no  means  an  easy  task,  and  great 
care  must  be  taken  to  reserve  the  strongest  effects  for  the 


CLIMAX.  378 

culmination  of  the  climax.  This  is  not  difficult  when  the 
climax  is  short,  but  in  the  longer  examples  one  requires 
all  one's  art. 

To  assist  in  rendering  a  climax  artistically,  let  the 
reader  bear  in  mind  the  end  from  the  beginning.  Then 
the  temptation  to  overdo  the  less  important  details  will 
be  reduced. 

ANTONY.     O,  pardon  me,  thou  bleeding  piece  of  earth, 
That  I  am  meek  and  gentle  with  these  butchers  ! 
Thou  art  the  ruins  of  the  noblest  man 
That  ever  lived  in  the  tide  of  times. 
Woe  to  the  hand  that  shed  this  costly  blood  ! 
Over  thy  wounds  now  do  I  prophesy,  — 
Which,  like  dumb  mouths,  do  ope  their  ruby  lips 
To  beg  the  voice  and  utterance  of  my  tongue,  — 
A  curse  shall  light  upon  the  limbs  of  men; 
Domestic  fury  and  fierce  civil  strife, 
Shall  cumber  all  the  parts  of  Italy  ; 
Blood  and  destruction  shall  be  so  in  use, 
And  dreadful  objects  so  familiar, 
That  mothers  shall  but  smile  when  they  behold 
Their  infants  quartered  with  the  hands  of  war, 
All  pity  choked  with  custom  of  fell  deeds  ; 
And  Caesar's  spirit,  ranging  for  revenge, 
With  Ate  by  his  side,  come  hot  from  hell, 
Shall  in  these  confines  with  a  monarch's  voice 
Cry  '  Havoc  ! '  and  let  slip  the  dogs  of  war  ; 
That  this  foul  deed  shall  smell  above  the  earth 
With  carrion  men  groaning  for  burial. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  III.,  Sc.  i. 

CASSIUS.     I  know  that  virtue  to  be  in  you,  Brutus, 
As  well  as  I  do  know  your  outward  favor. 
Well,  honor  is  the  subject  of  my  story.  — 
I  cannot  tell  what  you  and  other  men 
Think  of  this  life ;  but  for  my  single  self, 
I  had  as  lief  not  be,  as  live  to  be 
In  awe  of  such  a  thing  as  I  myself. 
I  was  born  free  as  Caesar  ;  so  were  you  : 


374  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

We  both  have  fed  as  well,  and  we  can  both 
Endure  the  winter's  cold  as  well  as  he  : 
For  once,  upon  a  raw  and  gusty  day, 
The  troubled  Tiber  chafing  with  her  shores, 
Caesar  said  to  me,  '  Dar'st  thou,  Cassius,  now 
Leap  in  with  me  into  this  angry  flood, 
And  swim  to  yonder  point  ?  '  —  Upon  the  word, 
Accoutered  as  I  was,  I  plunged  in, 
And  bade  him  follow  :  so,  indeed,  he  did. 
The  torrent  roared,  and  we  did  buffet  it 
With  lusty  sinews,  throwing  it  aside 
And  stemming  it  with  hearts  of  controversy  ; 
But  ere  we  could  arrive  the  point  proposed, 
Caesar  cried,  '  Help  me,  Cassius,  or  I  sink.' 
I,  as  ^Eneas,  our  great  ancestor, 
Did  from  the  flames  of  Troy  upon  his  shoulder 
The  old  Anchises  bear,  so  from  the  waves  of  Tiber 
Did  I  the  tired  Caesar.     And  this  man 
Is  now  become  a  god  ;  and  Cassius  is 
A  wretched  creature,  and  must  bend  his  body 
If  Caesar  carelessly  but  nod  on  him. 
He  had  a  fever  when  he  was  in  Spain, 
And  when  the  fit  was  on  him,  I  did  mark 
How  he  did  shake  :   'tis  true,  this  god  did  shake  : 
His  coward  lips  did  from  their  color  fly  ; 
And  that  same  eye,  whose  bend  doth  awe  the  world, 
Did  lose  his  luster.     I  did  hear  him  groan  ; 
'Ay,  and  that  tongue  of  his,  that  bade  the  Romans 
Mark  him,  and  write  his  speeches  in  their  books, 
Alas,  it  cried,  '  Give  me  some  drink,  Titinius,' 
As  a  sick  girl.     Ye  gods,  it  doth  amaze  me, 
A  man  of  such  a  feeble  temper  should 
So  get  the  start  of  the  majestic  world, 
And  bear  the  palm  alone.  [Shout.     Flourish. 

BRUTUS.  Another  general  shout  ! 

I  do  believe  that  these  applauses  are 
For  some  new  honors  that  are  heaped  on  Caesar. 

CASSIUS.     Why,    man,    he    doth    bestride    the    narrow 

world, 

Like  a  colossus  ;  and  we  petty  men 
Walk  under  his  huge  legs,  and  peep  about 


CLIMAX.  375 

To  find  ourselves  dishonorable  graves. 
Men  at  some  time  are  masters  of  their  fates  : 
The  fault,  dear  Brutus,  is  not  in  our  stars, 
But  in  ourselves,  that  we  are  underlings. 
Brutus,  and  Caesar:  what  should  be  in  that  Caesar? 
Why  should  that  name  be  sounded  more  than  yours? 
Write  them  together,  yours  is  as  fair  a  name  ; 
Sound  them,  it  doth  become  the  mouth  as  well  ; 
Weigh  them,  it  is  as  heavy  ;  — conjure  with  'em, 
Brutus  will  start  a  spirit  as  soon  as  Caesar. 
Now,  in  the  names  of  all  the  gods  at  once, 
Upon  what  meat  doth  this  our  Caesar  feed, 
.  That  he  is  grown  so  great  ?     Age,  thou  art  shamed  ! 
Rome,  thou  hast  lost  the  breed  of  noble  bloods  ! 
When  went  there  by  an  age,  since  the  great  flood, 
But  it  was  famed  with  more  than  with  one  man  ? 
When  could  they  say,  till  now,  that  talked  of  Rome, 
That  her  wide  walls  encompassed  but  one  man  ? 
Now  is  it  Rome  indeed,  and  room  enough, 
When  there  is  in  it  but  one  only  man. 
O,  you  and  I  have  heard  our  fathers  say, 
There  was  a  Brutus  once  that  would  have  brooked 
The  eternal  devil  to  keep  his  state  in  Rome 
As  easily  as  a  king. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  I.,  Sc.  ii. 

In  the  preceding  illustration  it  must  be  remembered  that 
the  description  of  the  rescue  of  Caesar  from  the  Tiber  is 
only  the  beginning  of  Cassius'  plan ;  and  that  his  object 
is  to  cite  the  illustrations  of  Caesar's  weakness,  and  finally 
to  lead  up  to  that  subtle  flattery  with  which  the  "Insti- 
gation "  speech  ends. 

"  It  is  an  outrage  to  bind  a  Roman  citizen ;  to  scourge  him  is  an 
atrocious  crime ;  to  put  him  to  death  is  almost  parricide;  but  to  cru- 
cify him  —  what  shall  I  call  it  T" 

I  know  it,  I  concede  it,  I  confess  it,  I  proclaim  it." 

When  a  wind  from  the  lands  they  had  ruin'd  awoke  from  sleep, 
And  the  water  began  to  heave  and  the  weather  to  moan, 


376  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

And  or  ever  that  evening  ended  a  great  gale  blew, 

And  a  wave  like  a  wave  that  is  raised  by  an  earthquake  grew, 

Till  it  smote  on  their  hulls  and  their  sails  and  their  masts  and  their 

flags, 
And  the  whole  sea  plunged  and  fell  on  the  shot-shatter' d  navy  of 

Spain, 
And  the  little  Revenge  herself  went  down  by  the  island  crags, 

To  be  lost  evermore  in  the  main.  ^ 

TENNYSON,  The  Revenge. 

"  If  there  be  one  among  you  who  can  say  that  ever,  in  public  fight, 
or  private  brawl,  my  actions  did  belie  my  tongue,  let  him  stand  forth 
and  say  it.  If  there  be  three  in  all  your  company  dare  face  me  on 
the  bloody  sands,  let  them  come  on." 

"  O  comrades,  warriors,  Thracians,  —  if  we  must  fight,  let  us  fight 
for  ourselves!  If  we  must  slaughter,  let  us  slaughter  our  oppressors! 
If  we  must  die,  let  it  be  under  the  clear  sky,  by  the  bright  water,  in 
noble,  honorable  battle  !  " 

"  There  on  the  dais  sat  another  king, 
Wearing  his  robes,  his  crown,  his  signet  ring." 

"  Next  morning,   waking  with  the  day's  first  beam, 
He  said  within  himself,   '  It  was  a  dream  ! ' 
But  the  straw  rustled  as  he  turned  his  head, 
There  were  the  cap  and  bells  beside  his  bed  ; 
Around  him  rose  the  bare,  discolored  walls, 
Close  by,  the  steeds  were  champing  in  their  stalls, 
And  in  the  corner,  a  revolting  shape, 
Shivering  and  chattering,  sat  the  wretched  ape. 
It  was  no  dream  ;  the  world  he  loved  so  much 
Had  turned  to  dust  and  ashes  at  his  touch  ! " 

"  Have  I  not,  since  first  my  youthful  arms  could  wield  a  spear, 
conquered  your  armies,  fired  your  towns,  and  dragged  your  generals 
at  my  chariot  wheels  ?  " 

**  And  thro'  the  centuries  let  a  people's  voice 
In  full  acclaim, 
A  people's  voice, 

The  proof  and  echo  of  all  human  fame, 
A  people's  voice,  when  they  rejoice 

At  civic  revel  and  pomp  and  game, 
Attest  their  great  commander's  claim 


CLIMAX.  377 

With  honor,  honor,  honor,  honor  to  him, 
Eternal  honor  to  his  name." 

"  Remember  that  Greece  had  her  Alexander,  Rome  her  Caesar, 
England  her  Cromwell,  France  her  Bonaparte,  and  that,  if  we 
would  escape  on  the  rock  on  which  they  split,  we  must  avoid  their 
errors." 

"  Is  there  a  single  atrocity  of  the  French  more  unprincipled  and 
inhuman  than  that  of  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia,  in  Poland  ?  " 

"'But,  Mr.  Speaker,  we  have  a  right  to  tax  America.'  Oh, 
inestimable  right !  Oh,  wonderful,  transcendent  right !  the  asser- 
tion of  which  has  cost  this  country  thirteen  provinces,  six  islands, 
one  hundred  thousand  lives,  and  seventy  millions  of  money." 

This  last  example  is  a  peculiar  one.  Under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances thirteen  provinces  would  be  more  valuable  than 
six  islands,  and  surely  one  hundred  thousand  lives  are 
more  valuable  than  seventy  millions  of  money.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  figures  in  the  last  three  phrases  certainly 
rise  to  a  climax.  On  the  whole  I  think  it  better  to  re- 
gard this  as  an  oratorical  climax,  understanding  Burke 
not  to  have  had  in  mind  anything  more  than  to  present 
the  losses  of  England,  as  each  occurred  to  him,  while  his 
emotion  and  indignation  rise  with  each  enumeration. 


CHAPTER   XL 

INTERLUDE    AND    REPETITION. 

IN  this  chapter  we  are  to  consider  certain  features  of 
literary  art  which,  while  of  less  importance  to  the  reader 
than  those  previously  discussed,  are  yet  worthy  of  careful 
study,  and  necessary  to  the  fullest  understanding  of  litera- 
ture, and  hence  to  the  best  rendition. 

DIVERSION,    OR    INTERLUDE. 

Another  element  of  art  form  quite  common  in  litera- 
ture is  that  which  we  may  term  Diversion,  or  Interlude. 
This  may  properly  be  considered  under  the  head  of  con- 
trast, for  the  reason  that  it  is  introduced  by  the  author  for 
the  purpose  of  relieving  the  strain  on  the  attention  of  the 
audience.  It  is  quite  clear  that  the  mind  cannot  for  a 
long  time  remain  centered  upon  any  phase  of  thinking  with- 
out tiring,  and  it  is  equally  clear  that  the  contemplation 
of  an  art  work  can  hardly  be  pleasurable  when  accom- 
panied by  even  an  approach  to  painful  strain.  Further- 
more, even  if  long-continued  attention  does  not  prove  to 
be  actually  tiresome,  and  hence  unsesthetic,  it  is  very 
likely  to  result  in  destroying  the  reader's  power  of  con- 
centration. The  mind  wanders,  and,  consequently,  loses 
the  trend  of  the  story.  This  explanation  seems  to  account 
for  the  origin  of  Diversion  in  literature.  The  difference 

378 


INTERLUDE  AND  REPETITION.  379 

between  contrast  and  diversion  is  this :  contrast  is  made 
for  the  purpose  of  enhancing  any  given  effect;  diversion 
does  this,  and  at  the  same  time  seryjs_the--purposc  of  re- 
lief^contrast  may  be  found  in  any  part  of  a  composi- 
tion, while  diversion  is  introduced  only  where  the  strain 
is  likely  to  become  too  great.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  mere  diversion  would  hardly  be  considered  high  art 
unless  the  author  by  some  means  at  his  disposal  makes 
the  diversion  an  organic  part  of  his  production.  Let  us 
take  an  illustration  from  King  Robert  of  Sicily.  From  the 
beginning  of  the  poem  until  King  Robert  finds  himself 
compelled  to  face  the  fearful  disaster  that  has  befallen 
him,  the  poem  goes  forward  with  rapid  movement  and 
irresistible^orce.  We  find  him,  at  the  opening  of  the 
poem,  surrounded  by  all  the  magnificence  of  an  emperor, 
and  then  he  is  suddenly  reduced  to  the  position  of  most 
abject  servitude.  So  rapid  has  been  the  movement,  es- 
pecially as  regarded  through  the  eyes  of  the  king  him- 
self, that  the  strain  becomes  quite  intense  as  the  author 
closes  one  of  what  may  be  called  the  acts  of  the  drama 
with  the  words,  "  had  turned  to  dust  and  ashes  at  his 
touch."  Then  the  author  introduces  an  interlude.  The 
contrast  between  the  passion  of  the  previous  scene  and 
the  quiet  calm  of  this  is  most  restful ;  and  hence  the 
purpose  of  the  interlude  is  made  clear. 

Now  let  us  note  that  the  interlude  is  not  of  sufficient 
length  to  interrupt  for  any  great  time  the  movement  of 
the  story.  If  it  did,  it  would  violate  the  law  of  Unity. 
Again,  the  law  of  Unity  would  be  violated  unless  there 
werjjjsome  connection  between  Jiie^ int^rIujd^^id--the-Mery 
proper.  Observe,  then,  how  the  interlude  is  made  to 
form  an  organic  part  of  the  narrative. 


380  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

The  poet  begins  his  next  paragraph  with  the  word 
"meanwhile."  By  the  use  of  this  word  King  Robert  is, 
as  it  were,  thrust  into  the  midst  of  this  restful  picture, 
and  his  condition  made  to  appear  more  degrading  and 
unbearable  by  the  contrast  it  makes  with  the  peace  and 
prosperity  of  the  land  over  which  he  was  so  recently  the 
ruler. 

We  may  safely  take  this  sample  illustration  as  a  model 
of  the  Interlude.  It  relieves  the  strain  by  contrasting 
peace  and  disorder;  is  not  too  long  to  interrupt,  for  any 
length  of  time,  the  movement  of  the  story;  and  in  the 
third  place,  this  interlude  becomes  a  part  of  the  narrative, 
by  serving  as  a  background  against  which  stands  out  in 
such  strong  relief  the  situation  of  the  leading  character. 

The  preceding  explanation  of  the  function  of  Diversion, 
as  used  in  literature,  applies  equally  well  in  the  art  of 
recitation.  Let  the  student  once  understand  the  purpose 
of  Diversion,  let  him  thoroughly  appreciate  its  spirit,  and 
there  will  be  very  little  difficulty  in  its  rendition. 

It  is  of  some  importance  for  the  reader  to  understand 
the  psychology  of  the  Interlude.  A  great  many  mar  their 
adaptations  of  stories  or  dramas  by  omitting  everything  but 
the  bare  story.  In  many  cases  this  is  an  aid  to  clearness ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  sometimes,  especially  in  the  serious 
drama,  the  strain  becomes  so  intense  through  the  omission 
of  the  restful  interlude  that  the  enjoyment  of  the  audience 
is  seriously  marred. 

REPETITION. 

The  Law  of  Repetition  in  literature  is  a  very  interesting 
phenomenon.  It  is  based  upon  the  psychological  principle 


INTERLUDE  AND    REPETITION.  381 

that  any  given  effect  repeated  is  thereby  enhanced.  This 
repetition  may,  in  literature,  be  of  character,  of  language, 
and  of  form,  such  as  Rhythm.  The  Comedy  of  Errors 
affords  an  illustration  of  the  first;  and  the  last  is  well  il- 
lustrated in  blank  verse,  where  the  recurrence  of  the  nor- 
mal rhythm  every  six  or  eight  lines,  more  or  less,  as  the 
case  may  be,  helps  to  impress  the  blank- verse  character 
upon  the  ear.  We  shall  confine  ourselves  to  the  second 
class,  which,  for  elocutionary  purposes,  is  the  most  impor- 
tant of  the  three. 

The  opening  lines  of  King  Robert  of  Sicily  are,  — 


"  Robert  of  Sicily,  brother  of  Pope  Urbane 
And  Valmond,  Emperor  of  Allemaine." 


TheSe  present  to  us  the  central  figure  of  the  poem  and 
his  two  brothers,  in  whose  power  and  majesty  King  Robert 
so  greatly  glories.  It  is  furthermore  to  be  noted  that 
these  two  lines  introduce  us  into  the  midst  of  a  most  sug- 
gestive description  of  kingly  splendor,  of  which  the  cen- 
tral figure  is  the  proud  king.  After  King  Robert  rushes 
madly  from  the  church,  his  dignity  gone,  his  self-control 
vanished,  the  author  begins  a  new  paragraph  with  the 
same  two  lines  with  which  the  poem  opens.  At  once, 
through  the  association  of  ideas,  the  mind  of  the  listener 
or  reader  goes  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  poem.  The 
words  call  up  the  picture  of  kingly  splendor;  and  when 
the  word  "despoiled"  of  the  third  line  of  the  new  para- 
graph strikes  the  ear,  at  once  the  contrast  is  made  pow- 
erfully manifest. 

Tennyson,  in  his  idyl  of  The  Brook,  has  a  very  similar 
effect  most  daintily  introduced.     In  the  early  portion  of 


382  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

the  poem  the  speaker  tells  us  of  a  beautiful  maiden  whom 
he  knew  in  his  youth  twenty  years  before.  He  gazes  — 

"On  eyes  a  bashful  azure,  and  on  hair 
In  gloss  and  hue  the  chestnut,  when  the  shell 
Divides  threefold  to  show  the  fruit  within." 

As  he  now  stands,  twenty  years  later,  among  the  haunts 
of  his  early  manhood,  he  recalls  sadly  his  past  life  and 
friends,  when  suddenly  — 

"there  stood  a  maiden  near 
Waiting  to  pass.     In  much  amazev  he  stared 
On  eyes  a  bashful  azure,  and  on  hair 
In  gloss  and  hue  the  chestnut,  when  the  shell 
Divides  threefold  to  show  the  fruit  within." 

It  is  needless  to  say  :that  this  startling  vision  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  maiden  whom  he  had  known  in  his  youth.  The 
artistic  skill  with  which  this  repetition  is  introduced  will 
be  appreciated  by  the  student  if  he  will  take  the  pains  to 
read  the  entire  poem. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  see  the  application  of  this  literary 
principle  to  the  reader's  art.  When  an  artist  repeats  we 
must  use  great  care  to  determine  what  hic>  ultimate  pur- 
pose is.  In  the  cases  cited  above,  we  munt  agree  that  the 
repetition  is  most  suggestive  ;  and  without  actually  obtrud- 
ing it  upon  the  audience,  we  must  take  advantage  of  all 
legitimate  means  to  bring  out  the  effect  intended. 

Repetition  is  also  used  to  produce  artistic  monotony. 
We  are  well  aware  that  when  the  name  rhythm  runs  on, 
line  after  line,  or  the  same  word  or  series  of  words  is 
repeated,  the  effect  becomes  monotonous.  Because  of  this 
psychological  fact,  many  authors,  when  they  desire  to  pro- 
duce a  monotony,  take  advantage  of  this  principle.  The 


INTERLUDE  AND   REPETITION.  383 

opening  lines  of  Tennyson's  Lotos  Eaters  afford  an  illus- 
tration. They  are  as  follows  :  — 

"'Courage  !'  he  said,  and  pointed  toward  the  land, 
4  This  mounting  wave  will  roll  us  shoreward  soon,' 
In  the  afternoon  they  came  unto  a  land 
In  which  it  seemed  always  afternoon." 

The  careless  reader,  in  his  endeavor  to  avoid  monotony,  is 
likely  to  throw  his  greatest  stress  upon  "  always  "  in  the 
fourth  line.  This  is  plainly  an  artistic  blemish.  As  was 
stated  above,  when  the  artist  repeats,  he  has  a  purpose. 
Now,  the  purpose  here  is  to  impress  upon  us  the  perennial 
"  afternoonness  "  of  this  land  of  the  Lotos.  Therefore  to 
emphasize  only  "always"  would  be  to  give  the  passage  a 
cold,  calculating  effect.  Both  "afternoons,"  and  espe- 
cially the  second,  need  to  be  emphasized.  Let  the  student 
who  may  not  agree  with  this  rendition  read  the  lines  a 
dozen  times  or  more,  after  a  careful  study  of  the  poem,  as 
here  suggested,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  his  artistic 
nature  will  soon  realize  the  force  of  this  reading.  Grant- 
ing (which  I  do  not)  that  the  emphasis  only  on  "  always  " 
would  be  correct,  there  is  ye t  a  higher  law  which,  for  any 
one  of  poetic  sensitiveness,  must  prevail. 

One   of   the   most    interesting    examples    is    found   in 
Tennyson's   Revenge :  — 

44  And  the  sun  went  down,  and  the  stars  came  out  far  over  the  sum- 
mer sea, 

But  never  a  moment  ceased  the  fight  of  the  one  and  the  fifty-three. 

Ship  after  ship,  the  whole  night  long,  their  high  built  galleons  came, 

Ship  after  ship,  the  whole  night  long,  with  their  battle-thunder  and 
flame  ; 

Ship  after  ship,  the  whole  night  long,  drew  back  writh  her  dead  and 
her  shame. 


384  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

For  some  were  sunk  and  many  were  shattered,  and  so  could  fight  us 

no  more  — 
God  of  battles,  was  ever  a  battle  like  this  in  the  world  before?" 

What  is  the  poet's  intention  in  repeating  "  ship  after  ship, 
the  whole  night  long  "  ?  Plainly  not  to  emphasize  the  idea 
of  "ships,"  but  to  impress  upon  us  the  feelings  of  un- 
relieved strain  of  the  narrator,  as  during  that  interminable 
night  ship  after  ship  of  the  Spanish  navy  came  to  the 
attack. 

The  purpose  of  the  study  of_Repetition  is  to  impress 
upon  the  student  that  great  artists  have  a  definite  purpose 
in  every  effect.  Using  the  last  illustration  as  an  example, 
we  see  that  the  repetition  arises  from  the  emotion  of  the 
speaker  as  he  contemplates  that  apparently  never-ending 
struggle.  What  the  reader  will  then  manifest  is  not  the 
"ship  after  ship"  idea,  as  such,  but  through  the  monotony 
of  melody  and  'significant  quality  of  voice,  the  spirit  of 
the  speaker. 


CHAPTER   XII.  , 

TONE-COLOR. 

ALL  singers  and  speakers  have  been  more  or  less  con- 
scious that  certain  sounds  are  better  adapted  than  others 
for  the  expression  of  particular  emotions.  It  is  the  pur- 
pose of  this  chapter  to  discuss  this  phase  of  literary  art 
and  of  vocal  expression.  We  have  virtually  to  prove  that 
artists  in  language  prefer  one  element  of  speech  to  another 
because  of  the  sound.  If  this  be  proved,  it  will  certainly 
have  great  value  for  the  student  of  vocal  expression.  Two 
points  must  be  remembered:  Firsts  that  we  have  many 
more  sounds  in  the  language  than  letters.  Each  of  these 
^sounds  is  called  an  element,  and  we  shall  use  that  word 
instead  of  letter  throughout  this  discussion.  In  the 
second— place,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  although 
an  artist  may  prefer  one  element  to  another,  there  is  no 
excuse  forjiie__aanrifi^  ^f  ^^^  f.n  armnrl  No  combina- 
tion of  sounds  without  sense  can  possibly  be  literature. 
Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  there  are  many  words  with  which 
to  express  one's  meaning;  and  all  poetry  affords  illustration 
that  the  poet,  for  a  reason  which  we  shall  show  later, 
makes  more  or  less  conscious  choice  between  these  words 
because  of  their  sound.  The  form  of  literature  is  not  an 
arbitrary  thing,  "  Of  the  soul  the  body  form  doth  take;" 
and  tone -color  is  one  of  the  elements  of  the  form  manifest- 
ing the  spirit  of  literature.  [NOTE  1.3 

385  _ 


386  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Literature  contains  two  elements,  the  intellectual  and 
the  emotional.  The  intellectual  part  is  that  which  deals 
with  facts,  for  in  the  most  ethereal  poetry  there  must  be 
a  substantial  basis.  The  intellectual  side  of  literature 
deals  with  particulars,  details.  The  contemplation  of 
facts  stimulates,  under  certain  conditions,  the  poet's  ima- 
gination ;  and  that  in  turn  stimulates  his  emotions.  Now, 
the  stirring  of  the  poet's  imagination  is  manifested  in  the 
language,  style,  and  form  in  which  his  thought  is  clothed. 
Hence,  it  is  our  purpose  to  analyze  literature  in  order  that 
we  may  show  that  particular  sounds  or  elements  are  uni- 
formly used  to  express  particular  emotions.  If  we  can  show 
this,  the  reader  has  certainly  a  most  subtle  yet  sure  cue  for 
emotional  rendition.  Poetry  is  written  to  be  read  aloud. 
The  poet  listens  to  his  verse  as  it  rises  in  his  brain,  and 
his  poetic  insight  and  artistic  training  teach  him  that 
certain  sounds  are  better  avenues  of  expression  for  given 
emotions  than  are  others.  One  might  say  that  tone-color 
is  the  avenue  along  which  the  emotion  passes  in  its  prog- 
ress from  within  outward,  or  from  the  poet  to  his  hearer. 
The  mere  fact  is  expressed  by  the  words ;  the  emotion  is 
expressed  by  the  various  qualities  of  the  voice,  and  these 
qualities  may  be  more  surely  and  easily  manifested  on  cer- 
tain elements  than  on  others. 

Read  aloud  the  following  excerpts,  and  mark  how  the 
vocal  expression  is  assisted  by  the  italicized  elements:  — 

"  Harry  to  f/arry  shall,  hot  //orse  to  //orse, 
Meet,  and  ne'er  part,  till  one  ofrop  down  a  corse." 

"  The  feast  little  delicate  curve  in  aqu/line  nose." 
"  So  slender  Sohrab  seem'd,  so  softly  rear'd." 

"  The  fields  between 
Are  dewy  fresh,  browsed  by  deep-uddered  kine, 


TONE-COLOR.  387 

And  all  about,  the  forge  lime  feathers  /ow, 

The  lime,  a  summer  home  of  murmurous  wings." 

"  A  gleam  in  the  gloom." 
"  ZJear  back,  both  friend  and  foe." 

The  preceding  examples  were  chosen  to  illustrate  the 
fact  that  the  emotion  finds  easier  egress  through  the 
avenues  of  certain  elements  than  it  could  have  done  if  the 
author  had  chosen  different  ones.  But  there  is  another 
class  of  tone-color  words  to  be  examined  before  we  pro- 
ceed farther.  We  know  that  there  are  certain  words 
in  our  language  that  are  purely  imitative ;  such  words 
as  buzz,  hiss,  hjrnv -  whiny  bang^boom.  These  words  are 
simply  the  result  of  an  attempt  of  early  man  to  convey 
a  given  picture  through  his  powers  of  imitation.  But 
emotional  tone-color,  while  it  may  include  onomatopoeia, 
is  a  great  deal  more  than  that.  Tone-color  manifests  the 
emotional  effect-  upon  the  poet  of  that  which  he  contem- 
plates. Certain  effects  move  him  to  emotion,  and  tone- 
color  is  the  avenue  for  the  expression  of  that  emotion. 
This  is  most  significant;  for  failure  to  grasp  this  prin- 
ciple has  led  to  a  great  deal  of  misunderstanding  in  the 
discussion  of  this  subject.  W^-_jna,y__define  tone-color, 
then,  as  the  inherent  quality  of  vowels  and  consonants 
that  adapts  them  for  the  vocal  presentation  of  thought 
andjjmotion.  Tone-colorjs^simply  an  elocntionaryjxissi- 
bility.  It  would  be  foolish  to  claim  that  every  letter  has 
some  settled  meaning  every  time  it  is  uttered ;  but  it  is  to 
be  noted  that  when  one  desires  to  convey  a  given  emotion, 
certain  combinations  of  vowels  and  consonants  are  better 
adapted  for  that  expression  than  any  others  the  author 
could  find.  [NOTE  2.3 


388  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

An  objection  frequently  urged  is  that  tone-color  is 
subjective,  not  objective ;  that  it  is  not  apparent  except 
the  reader  make  Tt~soT"that  it  has  not  the  definiteness  of 
language  itself.  It  is  held  as  an  objection  that  if  one 
utters  the  word  "  tree,"  the  audience  understands  what  is 
meant,  and  would  never  mistake  "tree"  for  "house;" 
but  an  audience  does  not  understand  t  and  k  and  m  and 
o.  One  answer  to  this  has  already  been  anticipated.  It 
was  stated  above  that  tone-color  was  simply  an  elocution- 
ary possibility.  We  can  all  agree  that  m  lends  itself  to 
the  expression  of  quiet  and  calm  better  than  do  t  and  k 
and  p,  but  it  is  not  claimed  that  m  always  indicates  calm- 
ness and  tranquillity.  There  are  other  answers  to  the 
objection  above  cited :  First,  poetry  is  written  to  be  read 
aloud,  or  to  be  heard  in  imagination ;  hence,  rhyme, 
rhythm,  alliteration,  and  so  forth.  If  rhyme  is  not  to 
strike  the  ear,  why  do  we  rhyme?  If  rhythm  is  not  to 
be  heard,  one  might  as  well  write  in  prose  as  in  verse. 
It  is  perhaps  useless  to  enlarge  upon  this  any  farther. 
The  man  who  is  born  deaf  must  necessarily  miss  many 
of  the  graces  of  poetic  art;  and  to  him  who  has  never  de- 
veloped himself  to  appreciate  the  aesthetics  of  sound, 
much  of  literature  is  a  closed  book.  Hence,  we  may  con- 
clude, in  the  second  place,  that  those  who  do  not  hear  as 
well  as  see  lose  a  large  element  of  pleasure  in  reading 
poetry,  and  often  of  the  author's  intention.  In  the  third 
place,  if  there  is  nothing  in  tone-color,  how  can  we 
account  for  the  regular  predominance  of  particular  sounds 
in  nearly  all  poetry  where  like  emotions  are  expressed  ? 
It  seems  to  me  that  this  is  an  insuperable  argument.  Of 
course  tone-color  is  subjective ;  but  so  is  rhythm,  and  no 
one  denies  that  rhythm  is  a  tangible  element  of  verse 


TONE-COLOR.  389 

structure.  Tone-color  is  tangible  quite  as  much  as  rhythm 
when  one's  ears  are  open.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  ap- 
preciation of  poetry  must  grow  out  of  the  study  of  poetry. 
We  cannot  arbitrarily  say  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
tone-color  when  we  find  evidence  of  it  in  all  poetry. 
Burns,  in  his  little  poem  on  the  alphabet,  addresses  the 
vowel  o,  saying,  - 

"  O,  thou  wailing  minstrel  of  despairing  woe  ; " 

and  Holmes  speaks  of  the  velvety  r's.  I  should  be 
willing  to  rest  the  whole  case  on  the  line  from  Burns. 
What  does  that  line  mean?  That  every  o  wails?  By 
no  means ;  but  that  o  is  the  -best  vowel  through  which 
pity,  pathos,  etc.,  may  find  expression.  This  is  the  kernel 
of  the  whole  argument.  If  one  were  to  utter  the  word 
"  slow  "  in  such  a  sentence  as,  "  He  drives  a  slow  horse," 
we  should  not  expect  much  wailing ;  but  in  the  line,  — 

"  Sad  and  slow, 
Let  the  long,  long  procession  go," 

the  o  is  the  author's  choice  of  avenue  along  which  the 
tender  emotion  of  pity  and  regret  passes  from  reader  to 
hearer.  The  following  sonnet  from  Milton  affords  an 
sxcellent  illustration  of  the  use  of  o :  — 

'*  Avenge,  O  Lord,  thy  slaughtered  saints,  whose  bones 
Lie  scattered  on  the  Alpine  mountains  cold  : 
E'en  them  who  kept  thy  truth  so  pure  of  old, 
When  all  our  fathers  worshiped  stocks  and  stones 
Forget  not :  In  thy  book  record  their  groans 
Who  were  thy  sheep,  and  in  their  ancient  fold 
Slain  by  the  bloody  Piedmontese  that  roll'd 
Mother  with  infant  down  the  rocks.     Their  moans 
The  vales  redoubled  to  the  hills,  and  they 


390  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

To  Heav'n.     Their  martyr'd  blood  and  ashes  sow 
O'er  all  the  Italian  fields,  where  still  doth  sway 
The  triple  tyrant  ;  that  from  these  may  grow 
A  hundred  fold,  who  having  learnt  thy  way 
Early  may  fly  the  Babylonian  woe." 

It  will  be  observed  that  eleven  of  the  fourteen  lines 
have  an  o  in  the  rhyming  word.  We  are  well  aware 
that  in  most  stanzas  this  would  be  an  artistic  blemish. 
We  object  to  this  in  English  poetry  because  we  claim  it 
is  monotonous.  No  poet  was  more  keenly  alive  to  the 
melody  of  verse  than  Milton :  then,  why  did  he  apparently 
violate  this  canon  of  his  art?  To  any  one  who  under- 
stands Milton's  religious  beliefs,  and  can  catch  the  spirit 
of  the  poem,  the  answer  is  clear:  It  is  a  wail  from  begin- 
ning to  end.  And  what  possibility  for  the  portraying  of 
that  agony  of  spirit  is  given  to  the  reader  in  the  last 
words,  "  Babylonian  woe/'  Another  word  than  Baby- 
lonian might  have  expressed  the  author's  meaning,  but 
the  reproduction  of  the  o's  was  the  expression  of  the 
author's  intense  emotion  as  he  contemplated  the  fearful 
slaughter  of  God's  saints. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  the  meaning  of  tone- 
color.  Let  the  student  now  read  aloud  the  subjoined 
extracts  until  he  appreciates  the  aid  to  emotional  expres- 
sion he  receives  from  the  tone-color.  But,  be  it  remem- 
bered, the  effects  are  not  so  much  imitative  as  suggestive 
of  emotion. 

"Like  bright  white  mice  at  moonlight  in  their  play, 
Or.  sunfish  shooting  in  the  shining  bay, 
The  swift  feet  shot  and  glitter'd  in  the  dance." 

"  Hear  the  sledges  with  the  bells, —  silver  bells  ; 
What  a  world  of  merriment  their  melody  foretells  ! 


TONE-COLOR.  391 

How  they  tinkle,  tinkle,  tinkle, 

In  the  icy  air  of  night! 

While  the  stars  that  oversprinkle 

All  the  heavens,  seem  to  twinkle 

With  a  crystalline  delight; 

Keeping  time,  time,  time, 

In  a  sort  of  Runic  rhyme, 

To  the  tintinnabulation  that  so  musically  wells 

From  the  bells,  hells,  hells,  bells,  bells,— 

From  the  jingling  and  the  tinkling  of  the  bells." 

"  Hop  and  Mop  and  Drop  so  clear, 
Pip  and  Trip  and  Skip  that  were  — 

Fib  and  Tip  and  Prick  and  Pin, 
Tick  and  Quick  and  Jill  and  Jin, 
Tit  and  Wit  and  Wat  and  WTin, 
The  train  that  wait  on  her." 

"  I  have  seen  it  when  its  crags  seem'd  frantic, 
Butting  against  the  mad  Atlantic." 

"  The  armaments  which  thunderstrike  the  walls  of  rock-built  cities, 
Bidding  nations  quake,  and  monarchs  tremble  in  their  capitals  ; 
The  oak  leviathans,  whose  huge  ribs  make  their  clay  creator 
The  vain  title  take  of  lord  of  thee,  and  arbiter  of  war,  — 
These  are  thy  toys  ;  and  as  the  snowy  flake  they  melt  into  thy  yeast 

of  waves, 
Which  mar  alike  the  Armada's  pride,  or  spoils  of  Trafalgar." 

"The  moonlit  solitude  mild  of  the  midmost  ocean." 

"  Making  moan,  making  moan." 
"  And  let  the  mournful  martial  music  blow." 

"  Into  the  lovely  land  of  Italy 
Whose  loveliness  was  more  resplendent  made 
By  the  mere  passing  of  that  cavalcade." 

"Who  passed  forever  in  a  glimmering  land, 
Lit  with  a  low  large  moon." 

"  The  waves  come  rolling,  and  the  billows  rose 
Outrageously,  as  they  enraged  were, 


392  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Or  wrathful  Neptune  did  them  drive  before 
His  whirling  chariot  for  exceeding  fear." 

"  There  is  sweet  music  here  that  softer  falls 
Than  petals  from  blown  roses  on  the  grass, 
Or  night  dews  on  still  waters  between  walls 
Of  shadowy  granite,  in  a  gleaming  pass." 

"  Out  of  my  sight,  thou  serpent  ;  that  name  best 
Befits  thee  with  him  leagued,  thyself  as  false 
And  hateful;  nothing  wants  but  that  thy  shape 
Like  his  and  color  serpentine  may  show 
Thy  inward  fraud." 

"May  my  soul  follow  soon." 
"  My  good  blade  carves  the  casques  of  men." 
"Sonorous  metal  blowing  martial  sounds." 

"He  spoke,  and  Rustum  answer1  d  not,  but  hurl'd 
His  spear  ;  down  from  the  shoulder,  down  it  came, 
As  on  some  partridge  in  the  corn  a  hawk, 
That  long  has  tower'd  in  the  airy  clouds, 
Drops  like  a  plummet ;  Sohrab  saw  it  come, 
And  sprang  aside,  quick  as  a  flash;  the  spear 
Hiss'd,  and  went  quivering  down  into  the  sand. 
Which  it  sent  flying  wide  ;  —  then  Sohrab  threw 
In  turn,  and  full  struck  Rustum' s  shield  ;  sharp  rang, 
The  iron  plates  rang  sharp,  but  turn'd  the  spear. 
And  Rustum  seized  his  club,  which  none  but  he 
Could  wield." 

"  Last,  loneliest,  loveliest,  exquisite." 

"  Our  brows  are  wreathed  with  spindrift  and  the  weed  is  on  our  knees, 
Our  loins  are  battered  'neath  us  by  the  swinging,  smoking  seas. 
From  reef  and  rock  and  skerry  —  over  headland,  ness,  and  voe  — 
The  Coastwise  Lights  of  England  watch  the  ships  of  England  go. 

Through  the  endless  summer  evenings,  on  the  lineless,  level  floors; 
Through  the  yelling  Channel   tempest  where  the  syren  hoots  and 

roars  — 

By  day  the  dipping  house-fly  and  by  night  the  rocket's  trail  — 
As  the  sheep  that  graze  behind  us  so  we  know  them  where  they 

hail." 


TONE-COLOR.  393 


NOTES   TO   CHAPTER  XII. 
NOTE  1 

The  following  excerpts  from  Professor  Corson's  Primer  of  English 
Verse  make  valuable  reading  in  connection  with  this  chapter:  — 

"  The  fusing  or  combining  principle  or  agency  of  a  verse  is  Melody. 
We  often  meet  with  verses  which  scan,  as  we  say,  all  right,  and  yet  we 
feel  that  they  have  no  vitality  as  verses.  This  may,  in  most  cases,  be 
attributed  to  their  purely  mechanical  or  cold-blooded  structure.  They 
are  not  the  product  of  Jeeling,  which  attracts  to  itself  (a  great  fact) 
vocal  elements,  either  vowels  or  consonants  which  chime  well  together 
and  in  accord  with  thejeeling  ;  but  they  are  rather  the  product  of  literary 
skill.  The  writer  had  no  song,  no  music  in  his  s.oul,  when  he  composed 
them,  and  he  should  have  written,  if  he  wrote  at  all,  in  straightforward 
prose.  .  .  . 

"...  The  principles  of  melodious  combinations  of  vowels  have  not 
yet  been  established,  so  far  as  it  is  within  the  possibilities  of  analysis  to 
establish  them.  But  any  one  with  an  ear  for  vowel  melody  can  appre- 
ciate it  in  a  verse,  and  could  distinguish,  perhaps,  nice  degrees  of  mel- 
ody in  a  number  of  given  verses  ranging  through  a  pretty  wide  gamut. 
But  he  would  not  be  able  to  set  forth  all  the  secrets  of  the  different 
degrees  of  melody.  Yet  these  secrets  are,  to  some  extent,  within  the 
possibilities  of  analysis.  A  noting  of  all  the  more  musical  lines  of 
Shakespeare,  and  of  a  few  other  great  authors,  might  lead  to  valuable 
results  toward  determining  more  of  the  secrets  of  melodious  fusion  than 
we  yet  possess. 

u  The  melody  secured  through  consonants  is,  to  the  general  ear,  more 
readily  appreciable,  and  can  be  more  easily  explained.  Much  of  it  has 
a  physiological  basis,  depending  on  the  greater  or  less  ease  with  which 
the  organs  of  speech  articulate  certain  successive  consonants.  Though 
the  vowel  element  plays  the  main  part  in  the  melody  and  harmony  of 
verse  (representing,  as  it  does,  the  more  spiritual  element  of  form),  all 
the  great  English  poets  from  Chaucer  to  Tennyson  make  frequent  and 
effective  use  of  alliteration.  It  veins  the  entire  surface  of  English 
poetry  to  an  extent  but  little  suspected  by  most  readers.  .  .  . 

"...  The  greater  part  of  them  may  have  been  written  uncon- 
sciously by  the  poet;  his  sense  of  melody  often  attracting  words  with 
the  same  initial  or  internal  consonants,  as  well  as  assonantal  words, — 
all  contributing,  more  or  less,  to  the  general  melody  and  harmony. 
Feeling,  according  to  its  character,  weaves  its  own  vowel  and  conso- 
nantal texture.  .  , 


394  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

"...  But  the  use  of  vowels  as  a  means  of  producing  that  musical 
accompaniment  to  thought,  through  which  a  poet  voices  his  feelings 
and  sympathies,  and  makes  spiritual  suggestions,  demands  a  far  subtler 
sense  of  spiritual  affinities.  This  subtler  sense  was  possessed,  in  an 
eminent  degree,  by  Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge;  and  he  has  most  strik- 
ingly revealed  it  in  the  First  Part  of  his  Christabel  and  in  his  Eubla 
Khan.  In  the  former  poem  he  has  signally  illustrated  the  truth  of  a 
marginal  note  which  he  wrote  in  a  copy  of  Selden's  Table  Talk,  on  this 
sentence:  'Verses  prove  nothing  but  the  quantity  of  syllables;  they  are 
not  meant  for  logic.'  —  '  True,'  writes  Coteridge,  '  they,  that  is,  verses, 
are  not  logic,  but  they  are,  or  ought  to  be,  the  envoys  and  representatives 
of  that  vital  passion  which  is  the  practical  cement  of  logic,  and  without 
which,  logic  must  remain  inert.1  A  profound. remark. 

The  following  are  notable  examples  :  — 

"'The  lady  sprang  up  suddenly, 
The  lovely  lady,  Christabel  ! 
It  moaned  as  near,  as  near  can  be, 
But  what  it  is  she  cannot  tell  — 
On  the  other  side  it  seems  to  be, 
Of  the  huge,  broad-breasted,  old  oak-tree.' 

"  The  form  of  this  stanza  is  quite  perfect.  Note  the  suggestiveness 
of  the  abrupt  vowels  in  the  first  verse,  the  abatement  required  for  the 
proper  elocution  in  the  second  verse,  the  prolongable  vowels  and  sub- 
vowels  of  the  third,  and  then  the  short  vowels  again  in  the  fourth. 
Then  note  how  the  vowels  in  the  last  verse  swell  responsive  to  the 
poet's  conception  ;  and  how  incased  they  are  in  a  strong  framework 
of  consonants."  .  .  . 

NOTE  2. 
" '  Immediately  the  mountains  huge  appear, 

Emergent,  and  their  broad  bare  backs  upheave 

Into  the  clouds;  their  tops  ascend  the  sky, 

So  high  as  heaved  the  tumid  hills,  so  low 

Down  sunk  a  hollow  bottom,  broad  and  deep, 

Capacious  bed  of  waters.    Thither  they 

Hasted  with  glad  precipitance,  up-rolled, 

As  drops  on  dust  conglobing,  from  the  dry; 

Part  rise  in  crystal  wall,  or  ridge  direct, 

For  haste;  such  flight  the  great  command  impressed 

On  the  swift  floods.    As  armies  at  the  call 

Of  trumpet  —  for  of  armies  thou  hast  heard  — 

Troop  to  their  standard,  so  the  watery  throng, 

Wave  rolling  after  wave,  where  way  they  found 


TONE-COLOR.  395 

If  steep,  with  torrent  rapture,  if  through  plain, 
Soft-ebbing  :  nor  withstood  them  rock  or  hill  ; 
But  they,  or  underground,  or  circuit  wide 
With  serpent  error  wandering,  found  their  way, 
And  on  the  washy  ooze  deep  channels  wore.' 

Paradise  Lost,  vii.  285-303. 

Here  the  letters  6  and  /*,  not  inaptly,  mark  the  firmness  and  resistance 
of  the  earth,  while  w  and  r  depict  the  liquid  lapse  of  waters. 

"His  blank  verse  abounds  in  open-mouthed,  deep-chested  a's  anJ 
o's.  Here  is  a  passage  in  which  their  assonance  is  all  the  more  remark- 
able from  the  absence  of  alliteration:  — 

"'Say,  Goddess,  what  ensued  when  Raphael, 
The  affable  Archangel,  had  forewarned 
Adam,  by  dire  example,  to  beware 
Apostasy,  by  what  befell  in  Heaven 
To  those  apostates;  lest  the  like  befall 
In  Paradise  to  Adam  or  his  race, 
Charged  not  to  touch  the  interdicted  tree,'  etc. 

Paradise  Lost,  vii.  40. 

The  opening  lines  of  Book  II.,  the  passage  about  Mulciber  at  the  end 
of  Book  I.,  and  the  great  symphonious  period  which  describes  the 
movement  of  the  fallen  angels  '  to  the  Dorian  mood  of  flutes  and  soft 
recorders,'  all  serve  to  illustrate  the  gorgeousness  of  Milton's  asso- 
nance. In  attempting  to  characterize  the  effect  of  these  deep-toned 
vowels,  it  is  almost  necessary  to  borrow  words  from  the  art  of  colors, 
since  what  colors  are  to  painting  vowels  are  to  verse.  It  would  seem, 
after  drinking  in  draught  after  draught  of  these  intoxicating  melodies, 
as  if  Milton,  with  unerring  tact,  had  selected  from  the  English  lan- 
guage only  such  words  as  are  pompous,  full-sounding,  capable  of  being 
wrought  into  the  liquid  architecture  of  articulate  music.  Discord,  who 
is  so  busy  in  the  lines  of  even  mighty  poets,  stands  apart  and  keeps 
silence  here.  That  tenuity  of  sound  and  want  of  volume  from  which 
the  periods  of  otherwise  great  versifiers  occasionally  suffer,  never  occurs 
in  Milton.  Like  Virgil,  he  is  unerringly  and  unremittingly  harmonious. 
Music  is  the  element  in  which  his  genius  lives,  just  as  light  is  th'e  ele- 
ment of  Pindar,  or  as  darkness  covers  the  '  Inferno '  like  a  pall."  — 
Blank  Verse,  JOHN  ADDINGTON  SYMONDS. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

TRANSITIONS. 

THIS  feature  of  expression  might  appropriately  have 
been  treated  under  the  head  of  emotion.  All  transitions 
are  not  necessarily  emotional,  and  yet  those  most  signifi- 
cant are  certainly  of  this  character.  Let  us  first  consider 
a  few  examples  not  strongly  marked  with  emotion :  - 

"  '  Three  quarters  round  your  partners  swing  I ' 
' Across  the  set!"*     The  rafters  ring, 
The  girls  and  boys  have  taken  wing, 

And  have  brought  their  roses  out  ! 
'Tis  '  Forward  six!1  with  rustic  grace, 
Ah,  rarer  far  than  —  '  Swing  to  place  ! ' 
Than  golden  clouds  of  old  point  lace, 
They  bring  the  dance  about/' 

In  the  foregoing  we  have  a  picture  of  the  country 
dance.  We  hear  the  figures  called  out  by  the  old  fiddler, 
and  see  the  ever-varying  changes  of  The  Money  Musk. 
Study  the  lines  so  as  to  be  able  to  bring  out  the  calls 
clearly,  noting  the  two  distinct  calls  at  the  opening,  and 
the  abrupt  break  in  the  sixth  line. 

The  next  extract  presents  a  wife  confiding  to  a  friend 
the  story  of  her  courtship.  Her  husband  is  a  true  knight, 
and  would  perhaps  resent  it  to  have  even  his  bravery  form 
the  subject  of  conversation.  The  story  has  reached  its 
conclusion  when  the  speaker  says, — 

396  . 


TRANSITIONS.  397 

"Our  elder  boy  has  got  the  clear 
Great  brow  ;  tho'  when  his  brother's  black 
Full  eyes  show  scorn,  it"  — 

and  she  is  probably  about  to  add  some  such  statement  as 
44  It  behooves  one  to  look  out,"  when  suddenly  the  hus- 
band appears  on  the  scene.  With  a  woman's  ready  wit 
she  breaks  off  the  sentence  abruptly,  saying, — 

"  Gismond  here  ? 

And  have  you  brought  my  tercel  back  ? 
I  was  just  telling  Adela 
How  many  birds  it  struck  since  May." 

We  might  put  into  words  what  has  passed  through 
her  mind.  She  was  about  to  add  something  further  con- 
cerning the  eyes  of  her  boy,  when  she  hears  the  sound  of 
feet  along  the  walk.  Expecting  her  husband,  the  conclud- 
ing words  of  her  sentence  pass  from  her  mind  as  she  turns 
to  see  the  visitor.  It  is  Gismond.  He  must  not  know 
that  she  has  been  speaking  of  him.  The  tercel  in  his 
hand  gives  her  the  opportunity  of  opening  the  conversa- 
tion, which  she  is  quick  to  do,  adroitly  pretending  that  it 
was  of  that  very  tercel  she  and  her  friend  had  been  con- 
versing before  his  arrival. 

One  more  illustration  of  this  kind  will  suffice.  A  ten- 
der, loving  woman  is  talking  to  her  husband.  He  is  a 
learned  poet,  and  perhaps  just  a  trifle  of  a  pedant.  He  is 
most  minute  and  exact  in  all  he  does,  ever  losing  sight  of 
the  spirit  in  the  letter.  The  wife  is  the  true  poet,  caring 
nothing  for  the  archaeology  and  the  philology  and  the 
geography,  but  quick  to  perceive  the  inner  meaning  of 
the  poetic.  He  has  told  her  a  story  in  the  past,  and  she 
is  going  now  to  tell  it  back  to  him  with  a  new  moral. 


398  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

Here  is  the  first  stanza :  — 


"  What  a  pretty  tale  you  told  me 

Once  upon  a  time 
—  Said  you  found  me  somewhere  (scold  me!) 

Was  it  prose  or  was  it  rhyme, 
Greek  or  Latin?" 


When  the  woman  comes  to  "  somewhere  "  she  finds  she 
has  forgotten  the  source  of  the  original  story.  That 
means  so  much  to  him !  It  is  so  important !  With  a 
quizzical  look  she  pretends  to  rack  her  brains  for  the 
missing  information,  knowing  all  the  time  she  will  not 
find  it,  and  knowing  equally  well  that  it  makes  no  dif- 
ference in  the  story.  Then  with  a  coy  expression  and 
a  look  of  mock  humility  on  her  face  she  lets  fall  her 
eyes,  and  meekly  acknowledges  her  awful  guilt,  and  stands 
prepared  to  accept  her  just  punishment,  saying,  Scold 
me !  I  deserve  it.  I  have  sinned ;  my  punishment  is 
just. 

Many  students  find  it  no  easy  task  to  make  these 
transitions  naturally.  Some  do  not  make  them  at  all,  but 
run  the  two  phases  of  thought  or  emotion  together.  Others 
anticipate  the  coming  idea,  and  hurry  the  last  two  or  three 
words  before  the  break.  The  proper  training  is  to  write 
or  think  out  the  incomplete  sentence,  then  let  it  more  or 
less  quickly  vanish  from  the  mind  as  the  new  conception 
grows  clearer,  without  betraying  the  fact  that  one  is  con- 
scious of  a  coming  interruption.  For  instance,  in  the 
second  example,  one  must  read  up  to  and  through  "  it " 
without  the  slightest  suggestion  of  the  coming  of  Gismond, 
and  even  think  the  conclusion  of  the  sentence.  Then 
hear  or  suddenly  see  Gismond  just  as  the  word  "it"  falls 


TRANSITIONS.  899 

from  the  lips,  and  dismissing  from  the  mind  the  former 
idea,  conclude  with  the  joyous,  wifely  welcome  and  ques- 
tion. 

It  might  be  proper  here  to  state  that  the  same  principle 
applies  to  the  reading  of  dialogue.  Except  in  rare  cases 
the  reader  should  not  in  any  way  anticipate  the  speech 
of  one  character  while  rendering  the  words  of  another. 

For  those  who  do  not  intend  to  become  readers,  but 
who  would  be  preachers  or  lawyers,  the  practice  here  rec- 
ommended will  prove  of  great  value.  Too  many  speak- 
ers, in  their  excitement  on  the  one  hand  and  in  their 
spiritlessness  on  the  other,  glide  along  line  after  line  in 
one  monotonous  drift.  A  study  of  these  exercises  will 
teach  the  necessity  of  transition^jj^LJamn-4ft-4he  con- 
troj_ojL-4ke'  menial  action  m-tbi^-j:£gard,  —  a  control  ante- 
cedent to  that  most  important  requisite,  variety.  After 
almost  every  paragraph  or  stanza  there  is  more  or  less 
change  in  the  thought,  and  the  apprehension  of  this  change 
will  be  sufficient  to  modulate  the  vocal  expression. 

Even  where  there  is  no  abrupt  change  in  the  flow  of 
ideas  there  is  often  a  gradual  transition  from  one  emotion 
to  another,  and  these  transitions  may  occur  several  times 
within  oiie_paragraphr  Take  the  following  excerpt  from 
Websjter^s  rej3ly_jta^Hayne^._  It  is  one  paragraph;  but  it 
is  divided  into  some  smaller  paragraphs,  each  of  which 
is  a  marked  "  phase "  of  the  thinking.  Practice  in  the 
analysis  of  selections  to  determine  these  phases  is  the  best 
and  only  rational  training  in  transitions.  But  its  'value 
does  not  stop  there ;  for  the  student  not  only  makes  tran- 
sitions, but  is  led,  through  careful  analysis,  to  discern 
shades  of  meaning  and  emotion  he  might  otherwise  over- 
look :  — 


400  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

"  Sir,  the  gentleman  inquires  why  he  was  made  the  object  of  a 
reply.  Why  was  he  singled  out  ?  If  an  attack  has  been  made  on 
the  East  he,  he  assures  us,  did  not  begin  it ;  it  was  made  by  the 
gentleman  from  Missouri. 

"  Sir,  I  answered  the  gentleman's  speech  because  I  happened  to 
hear  it,  and  because  I  chose  to  answer  that  speech  which,  if  unan- 
swered, I  thought  most  likely  to  produce  injurious  impressions. 

"  I  did  not  stop  to  inquire  who  was  the  original  drawer  of  the 
bill.  I  found  a  responsible  endorser  before  me,  and  it  was  my  pur- 
pose to  hold  him  liable,  and  to  bring  him  to  his  just  responsibility 
without  delay. 

"  But,  sir,  this  interrogatory  of  the  honorable  member  was  only 
introductory  to  another:  He  proceeds  to  ask  whether  I  had  turned 
upon  him  in  this  debate  from  the  consciousness  that  I  should  find  an 
overmatch  if  I  ventured  on  a  contest  with  his  friend  from  Missouri." 

Transitions  in  emotion  do  not  differ  in  principle  from 
those  we  have  been  considering.  The  student  must  pur- 
sue the  same  method  with  them  as  with  the  others,  ex- 
pressing the  first  emotion  until  he  comes  to  the  break, 
then  making  an  elliptical  paraphrase,  and  then  presenting 
the  new  emotion.  An  excellent  model  is  the  following 
speech  of  King  Lear. 

The  aged  monarch  has,  in  a  fit  of  rage,  cast  adrift  his 
youngest  child,  and  his  eldest  has  turned  him  from  her 
home.  He  turns  in  despair  to  his  remaining  daughter, 
assured  that  he  will  here  receive  a  filial  welcome.  To  his 
surprise,  she  refuses  to  meet  him ;  says  she  is  tired,  weary ; 
and  his  feeling  finds  vent  in  an  uncontrolled  explosion  of 
passion :  — 

LEAR.     Vengeance !  plague  !  death  !  confusion  !  — 
Fiery  ?  what  quality  ?     Why,  Gloucester,  Gloucester, 
I'd  speak  with  the  Duke  of  Cornwall  and  his  wife. 

GLOUCESTER.     Well,  my  good  lord,  I  have  inform'd  them  so. 

LEAR.     Inform'd  them !    Dost  thou  understand  me,  man  ? 


TRANSITIONS.  401 

GLOUCESTER.     Ay,  my  good  lord. 

LEAR.     The  King  would  speak  with  Cornwall ;  the  dear  father 
Would  with  his  daughter  speak  ;  commands  her  service : 
Are  they  inform' d  of  this?  —  My  breath  and  blood  ! 
Fiery?  the  fiery  Duke?     Tell  the  hot  Duke  that  — 
No,  but  not  yet  :  may  be  he  is  not  well  :  — 

King  Lear,  Act  II.,  Sc.  iv. 

and  then  proceeds  to  find  excuses  for  her  action,  and  that 
of  her  husband,  the  Duke  of  Cornwall. 

There  is  hardly  a  more  pathetic  incident  in  this  most 
pathetic  play  than  this,  where  the  old  man,  past  his  eigh- 
tieth year,  after  holding  undisputed  sway  through  his  long 
reign,  is  at  last  compelled  to  temporize.  He  is  about  to 
send  a  message  to  the  Duke,  the  character  of  which  is 
easily  judged  from  his  previous  language.  If  that  mes- 
sage had  been  sent,  Lear  would  have  been  alone  in  the 
world.  But  suddenly  his  fearful  position  flashes  upon 
him.  The  threat  dies  upon  his  lips,  gradually  blending 
into  apology  and  conciliation. 

Examples  of  Emotional  Transitions. 

If  you  have  tears,  prepare  to  shed  them  now. 
You  all  do  know  this  mantle  :  I  remember 
The  first  time  ever  Csesar  put  it  on  ; 
'Twas  on  a  summer's  evening,  in  his  tent, 
That  day  he  overcame  the  Nervii  : 
Look,  in  this  place  ran  Cassius'  dagger  through. 

Julius  Ccesar,  Act  III.,  Sc.  ii. 

He  spoke  ;   but  Rustum  gazed,  and  gazed,  and  stood 
Speechless  ;  and  then  he  utter'd  one  sharp  cry : 
"O  boy  — thy  father!"  —and  his  voice  choked  there. 
And  then  a  dark  cloud  pass'd  before  his  eyes, 
And  his  head  swam,  and  he  sank  down  to  earth. 

M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 

"  Ferood,  and  ye,  Persians  and  Tartars,  hear  I 
Let  there  be  truce  between  the  hosts  to-day. 


402  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

But  choose  a  champion  from  the  Persian  lords 
To  fight  our  champion  Sohrab,  man  to  man." 

As  in  the  country,  on  a  morn  in  June, 
When  the  dew  glistens  on  the  pearled  ears, 
A  shiver  runs  through  the  deep  corn  for  joy  — 
So,  when  they  heard  what  Peran-Wisa  said, 
A  thrill  through  all  the  Tartar  squadrons  ran 
Of  pride  and  hope  for  Sohrab,  w,hom  they  loved. 

But  as  a  troop  of  peddlers  from  Cabool, 
Cross  underneath  the  Indian  Caucasus, 
The  vast  sky-neighboring  mountain  of  milk  snow  ; 
Crossing  so  high,  that,  as  they  mount,  they  pass 
Long  flocks  of  traveling  birds  dead  on  the  snow, 
Choked  by  the  air,  and  scarce  can  they  themselves 
Slake  their  parch'd  throats  with  sugar' d  mulberries  — 
In  single  file  they  move  and  stop  their  breath, 
For  fear  they  should  dislodge  the  o'erhanging  snows  — 
So  the  pale  Persians  held  their  breath  with  fear. 

M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 

Note  how,  after  the  words,  "  whom  they  loved,"  the 
atmosphere  changes  from  that  of  joy  to  that  of  dread  and 
scorn  —  scorn  at  the  cowardice  of  the  Persians,  and  the 
dread  that  the  speaker  would  sympathetically  feel  as  he 
recounted  the  deed. 

"  This  too  thou  know'st,  that  while  I  still  bear  on 
The  conquering  Tartar  ensigns  through  the  world, 
And  beat  the  Persians  back  on  every  field, 
I  seek  one  man,  one  man,  and  one  alone  — 
Rustum,  my  father  ;  who  I  hoped  should  greet, 
Should  one  day  greet,  upon  some  well-fought  field, 
His  not  unworthy,  not  inglorious  son. 
So  1  long  hoped,  but  him  I  never  find. 
Come  then,  hear  now,  and  grant  me  what  I  ask. 
Let  the  two  armies  rest  to-day  ;  but  I 
Will  challenge  forth  the  bravest  Persian  lords 
To  meet  me  man  to  man  ;  if  I  prevail, 
Rustum  will  surely  hear  it ;  if  I  fall  — 
Old  man,  the  dead  need  no  one,  claim  no  kin. 


TRANSITIONS.  403 

Dim  is  the  rumor  of  a  common  fight, 

Where  host  meets  host,  and  many  names  are  sunk  ; 

But  of  a  single  combat  fame  speaks  clear." 

M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 

Studies  in  " Phases" 

This  extract  from  Tennyson's  Charge  of  the  Heavy  Bri- 
gade contains  five  distinct  phases,  or  strata,  ending  respec- 
tively with  the  words,  "fight,"  "close,"  uthen,"  "thou- 
sands," and  "Brigade." 

"  The  trumpet,  the  gallop,  the  charge,  and  the  might  of  the  fight  ! 
Thousands  of  horsemen  had  gather'd  there  on  the  height, 
With  a  wing  push'd  out  to  the  left  and  a  wing  to  the  right, 
And  who  shall  escape  if  they  close  ?  but  he  dasli'd  up  alone 
Thro'  the  great  gray  slope  of  men, 
Sway'd  his  saber,  and  held  his  own 
Like  an  Englishman,  there  and  then  ; 
All  in  a  moment  follow' d  with  force 
Three  that  were  next  in  their  fiery  course, 
Wedged  themselves  in  between  horse  and  horse, 
Fought  for  their  lives  in  the  narrow  gap  they  had  made  — 
Four  amid  thousands  !  and  up  the  hill,  up  the  hill, 
Gallopt  the  gallant  three  hundred,  the  Heavy  Brigade." 

As  when  a  boar 

Or  lion  mid  the  hounds  and  huntsmen  stands, 
Fearfully  strong,  and  fierce  of  eye,  and  they 
In  square  array  assault  him,  and  their  hands 
Fling  many  a  javelin  ;  —  yet  his  noble  heart 
Fears  not,  nor  does  he  fly,  although  at  last 
His  courage  cause  his  death  ;  and  oft  he  turns, 
And  tries  their  ranks  ;  and  where  he  makes  a  rush 
The  rank  gives  way  ;  —  so  Hector  moved  and  turned 
Among  the  crowd,  and  bade  his  followers  cross 

The  trench'  The  Iliad. 

Hector,  thou  almost  ever  chidest  me 

In  council,  even  when  I  judge  aright. 

I  know  it  ill  becomes  the  citizen 

To  speak  against  the  way  that  pleases  thee, 


404  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

In  war  or  council, — he  should  rather  seelc 
To  strengthen  thy  authority  ;  yet  now 
I  will  declare  what  seems  to  me  the  best : 
Let  us  not  combat  with  the  Greeks,  to  take 
Their  fleet ;  for  this,  I  think,  will  be  the  end,  — 
If  now  the  omen  we  have  seen  be  meant 
For  us  of  Troy  who  seek  to  cross  the  trench  ;  — 
This  eagle,  flying  high  upon  the  'left, 
Between  the  hosts,  that  in  his  talons  bore 
A  monstrous  serpent,  bleeding,  yet  alive, 
Hath  dropped  it  mid  our  host  before  he  came 
To  his  dear  nest,  nor  brought  it  to  his  brood  ;  — 
So  we,  although  by  force  we  break  the  gates 
And  rampart,  and  although  the  Greeks  fall  back, 
Shall  not  as  happily  retrace  our  way  ; 
For  many  a  Trojan  shall  we  leave  behind, 
Slain  by  the  weapons  of  the  Greeks,  who  stand 
And  fight  to  save  their  fleet.     Thus  will  the  seer, 
Skilled  in  the  lore  of  prodigies,  explain 
The  portent,  and  the  people  will  obey. 

The  Iliad. 
And  then,  apart, 

They  mustered  in  five  columns,  following  close 
Their  leader.     First,  the  largest,  bravest  band, 
Those  who,  with  resolute  daring,  longed  to  break 
The  rampart  and  to  storm  the  fleet,  were  led 
By  Hector  and  the  good  Polydamas, 
Joined  with  Cebriones,  —  for  Hector  left 
His  chariot  to  the  care  of  one  who  held 
An  humbler  station  than  Cebriones. 
Paris,  Alcathous,  and  Agenor  led 
A  second  squadron.     Helenus,  a  son 
Of  Priam,  and  Deiphobus,  a  youth 
Of  godlike  form,  his  brother,  took  command 
Of  yet  a  third,  —  with  whom  in  rank  was  joined 
The  hero  Asius,  son  of  Hyrtacus, 
Whose  bright-haired  coursers,  of  majestic  size, 
Had  borne  him  from  Arisba  and  the  banks 
Of  Selleis.     ^Eneas  led  the  fourth,— 
The  brave  son  of  Anchises  ;   and  with  him 
Were  joined  Archilochus  and  Acamas, 


TRANSITIONS.  405 

Sons  of  Antenor,  skilled  in  arts  of  war. 
The  band  of  Troy's  illustrious  allies 
Followed  Sarpedon,  who  from  all  the  rest 
Had  chosen,  to  partake  in  the  command, 
Glaucus  and  brave  Asteropseus.     These 
He  deemed  the  bravest  under  him  ;  yet  he 
Stood  foremost  of  them  all  in  warlike  might. 

The  Iliad. 

And  thus  King  Priam  supplicating  spake  :  — 

"Think  of  thy  father,  an  old  man  like  me, 

Godlike  Achilles  !     On  the  dreary  verge 

Of  closing  life  he  stands,  and  even  now 

Haply  is  fiercely  pressed  by  those  who  dwell 

Around  him,  and  has  none  to  shield  his  age 

From  war  and  its  disasters.     Yet  his  heart 

Rejoices  when  he  hears  that  thou  dost  live, 

And  every  day  he  hopes  that  his  dear  son 

Will  come  again  from  Troy.     My  lot  is  hard, 

For  I  was  father  of  the  bravest  sons 

In  all  wide  Troy,  and  none  are  left  me  now. 

Fifty  were  with  me  when  the  men  of  Greece 

Arrived  upon  our  coast  ;  nineteen  of  these 

Owned  the  same  mother,  and  the  rest  were  born 

Within  my  palaces.     Remorseless  Mars 

Already  had  laid  lifeless  most  of  these, 

And  Hector,  whom  I  cherished  most,  whose  arm 

Defended  both  our  city  and  ourselves, 

Him  didst  thou  lately  slay  while  combating 

For  his  dear  country.     For  his  sake  I  come 

To  the  Greek  fleet,  and  to  redeem  his  corse 

I  bring  uncounted  ransom.     O,  revere 

The  gods,  Achilles,  and  be  merciful, 

Calling  to  mind  thy  father  !  happier  he 

Than  I  ;  for  1  have  borne  what  no  man  else 

That  dwells  on  earth  could  bear, —  have  laid  my  lips 

Upon  the  hand  of  him  who  slew  my  son." 

He  spake  :  Achilles  sorrowfully  thought 

Of  his  own  father.     By  the  hand  he  took 

The  suppliant,  and  with  gentle  force  removed 

The  old  man  from  him.     Both  in  memory 

Of  those  they  loved  were  weeping.     The  old  king, 


406  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

With  many  tears,  and  rolling  in  the  dust 
Before  Achilles,  mourned  his  gallant  son. 
Achilles  sorrowed  for  his  father's  sake, 
And  then  bewailed  Patroclus,  and  the  sound 
Of  lamentation  filled  the  tent.     At  last 
Achilles,  when  he  felt  his  heart  relieved 
By  tears,  and  that  strong  grief  had  spent  its  force, 
Sprang  from  his  seat ;  then  lifting  by  the  hand 
The  aged  man,  and  pitying  his  white  head 
And  his  white  chin,  he  spake  these  winged  wrords  : 
"  Great  have  thy  sufferings  been,  unhappy  king  ! 
How  couldst  thou  venture  to  approach  alone 
The  Grecian  fleet,  and  show  thyself  to  him 
Who  slew  so  many  of  thy  valiant  sons? 
An  iron  heart  is  thine.     But  seat  thyself, 
And  let  us,  though  afflicted  grievously, 
Allow  our  woes  to  sleep  awhile,  for  grief 
Indulged  can  bring  no  good.     The  gods  ordain 
The  lot  of  man  to  suffer,  while  themselves 
Are  free  from  care.     Beside  Jove's  threshold  stand 
Two  casks  of  gifts  for  man.     One  cask  contains 
The  evil,  one  the  good,  and  he  to  whom 
The  Thunderer  gives  them  mingled  sometimes  falls 
Into  misfortune,  and  is  sometimes  crowned 
With  blessings.     But  the  man  to  whom  he  gives 
The  evil  only  stands  a  mark  exposed 
To  wrong,  and,  chased  by  grim  calamity, 
Wanders  the  teaming  earth,  alike  unloved 
By  gods  and  man.     So  did  the  gods  bestow 
Munificent  gifts  on  Peleus  from  his  birth, 
For  eminent  was  he  among  mankind 
For  wealth  and  plenty  ;   o'er  the  Myrmidons 
He  ruled,  and,  though  a  mortal,  he  was  given 
A  goddess  for  a  wife.     Yet  did  the  gods 
Add  evil  to  the  good,  for  not  to  him 
Was  born  a  family  of  kingly  sons 
Within  his  house,  successors  to  reign. 
One  short-lived  son  is  his,  nor  am  I  there 
To  cherish  him  in  his  old  age  ;  but  here 
Do  I  remain,  far  from  my  native  land, 
In  Troy,  and  causing  grief  to  thee  and  thine. 


TRANSITIONS.  407 

Of  thee,  too,  aged  king,  they  speak,  as  one 

Whose  wealth  was  large  in  former  days,  when  all 

That  Lesbos,  seat  of  Macar,  owns  was  thine. 

And  all  in  Phrygia  and  the  shores  that  bound 

The  Hellespont  ;  men  said  thou  didst  excel 

All  others  in  thy  riches  and  thy  sons. 

But  since  the  gods  have  brought  this  strife  on  thee 

War  and  perpetual  slaughter  of  brave  men 

Are  round  thy  city.     Yet  be  firm  of  heart, 

Nor  grieve  forever.     Sorrow  for  thy  son 

Will  profit  nought  ;  it  cannot  bring  the  dead 

To  life  again,  and  while  thou  dost  afflict 

Thyself  for  him  fresh  woes  may  fall  on  thee." 

The  Iliad. 

A  part  of  recitation  in  which  many  fail  is  the  read- 
ing of  description.  If  one  will  make  a  careful  study  of 
the  "phases"  he  will  find  that  his  reading  will  become 
more  interesting  to  his  audience,  because  of  the  variety 
that  will  manifest  itself. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

EXAMPLES    OP    LITERARY   ANALYSIS. 

A  QUESTION  of  serious  import  to  the  student  of  litera- 
ture and  vocal  expression  often  arises  as  to  how  far  he 
may  exercise  his  originality  in  interpretation.  There  is  a 
very  common  error  that  the  utmost  liberty  should  be  al- 
lowed in  this  direction.  One  often  hears  the  remark  that 
a  teacher  should  not  force  any  particular  interpretation 
upon  the  student.  Now,  without  following  blindly  the 
lead  of  any  instructor  in  this  regard,  the  student  should 
appreciate  the  fact  that  there  are  certain  indications  to  be 
found  in  all  great  literature  of  the  exact  intention  of  the 
author,  and  tb^rii'spnvpry  nf  this' intention  is_a_matter  of 
sei^fttinc__mej:hod.  While  it  may  be  true  that  interpreta- 
tions may  vary,  yet  it  must  be  conceded  that  an  author 
had  but  one  interpretation  in  mind,  and  has,  in  all  proba- 
bility, indicated  it.  To  illustrate  this,  let  us  take  a  few 
examples. 

For  many  years,  as  annals  of  the  stage  show  us,  Lady 
Macbeth  was  regarded  as  the  leading  figure  in  the  con- 
spiracy against  the  king.  The  attitude  of  the  stage  has 
changed  in  this  direction  of  late,  and  we  wonder  why  the 
former  idea  should  have  prevailed  so  long.  The  author 
is  at  special  pains  to  show  us  the  spirit  that  animated 
each  of  the  leading  characters  in  this  play.  Let  us  turn 
to  the  text,  and  examine  it  carefully.  The  point  is  to 

408 


EXAMPLES  OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  409 

prove  who  is  the  leading  spirit  in  the  conspiracy.  The 
answer  is  most  certainly,  —  Macbeth.  The  original  sug- 
gestion of  the  murder  came  from  Macbeth,  and  the  idea 
had  perhaps  been  often  discussed  between  man  and  wife. 
This  is  evident  from  the  text.  In  Act  I.,  Scene  vii.,  Mac- 
beth says,  — 

"  I  dare  do  all  that  may  become  a  man  ; 
Who  dares  do  more  is  none  ;" 

to  which  Lady  Macbeth  replies,  — 

"What  beast  was't,  then, 
That  made  you  break  this  enterprise  to  me?" 

This  line,  which  stands  uncontradicted,  proves  the  point 
conclusively.  In  the  second  place,  when  did  he  break 
the  enterprise  ?  Our  answer  is,  before  the  opening  of  the 
play.  If  this  answer  is  not  correct  we  have  a  right  to  as- 
sert that  there  must  be  tangible  evidence  of  the  beginning 
of  the  plot  in  the  scenes  preceding  the  murder.  If  we  can- 
not find  it  there  we  must  then  conclude  that  our  answer  is 
correct.  Now,  where  might  the  idea  have  been  suggested  ? 
In  the  letter  Macbeth  writes  to  his  wife,  or  after  the  arrival 
of  the  king  at  the  castle  of  Macbeth.  The  letter,  surely, 
does  no  more  than  vaguely  hint  at  murder ;  and  even  if  it 
is  contended  that  there  is  such  a  suggestion  between  the 
lines,  that  suggestion  would  mean  nothing  unless  the  mur- 
der had  been  planned  beforehand,  or  at  least  had  been 
broached.  It  can  hardly  be  argued  that  since  Lady  Mac- 
beth reads  but  a  portion  of  the  letter  (which  is  evident 
from  the  abrupt  beginning),  the  plan  might  have  been  set 
forth  in  the  unread  part.  Is  it  likely  that  Shakespeare 
would  leave  such  an  important  fact  open  to  discussion  ?  If 


410  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

we  are  to  believe  that  the  murder  is  suggested  in  the  un- 
read portion  of  this  letter,  then  surely  it  would  have  been 
of  sufficient  importance  to  warrant  Shakespeare  in  making 
his  position  clear.  Again,  is  it  likely  that  Macbeth  would 
have  suggested  such  a  crime  in  a  letter  that  might  fall 
into  hands  other  than  those  for  which  it  was  intended? 
There  is  now  left  the  second  possibility;  i.e.,  that  the 
murder  was  planned  after  the  arrival  of  the  king.  This, 
too,  is  untenable.  Lady  Macbeth  endeavoring  to  urge 
her  husband  to  the  murder  says,  Act  I.,  scene  yii.t — 

"Nor  time  nor  place  did  then  adhere, 
And  yet  you  would  make  both." 

In  other  words,  When  you  first  suggested  this  to  me,  the 
time  for  carrying  our  plot  into  action  was  not  propitious, 
nor  could  we  find  a  place  where  we  might  successfully 
carry  out  our  scheme.  Then  she  adds,  "  They  have 
made  themselves,"  which,  paraphrased,  clearly  means, 
The  king  has  now  come  under 'our  very  roof;  this  is 
the  time,  this  is  the  place.  Hence  it  must  follow  that 
when  the  assassination  was  first  discussed,  it  must  have 
been  at  some  time  previous  to  the  arrival  of  the  king. 

It  may  be  said  that  this  gives  no  positive  direction  as 
to  recitation.  Granting  this  point,  the  analysis  given 
above  may  at  least  serve  to  show  how  a  careful  study  of 
the  text  will  ofttimes  prevent  flagrant  misconceptions. 
But  the  knowledge  of  who  is  the  leading  spirit  in  the 
drama  will  very  vitally  affect  the  characterization  of  these 
two  people. 

The  Merchant  of  Venice  affords  another  example,  show- 
ing how  a  careful ^  aiialysis_of_the_text  will  reveal  the  au- 
thor's intention  as  to  the  manner  in  which  a  character 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  411 

should  be  portrayed.  The  question  often  arises,  How  is  it 
that  a  man  of  affairs,  a  man  of  the  world  such  as  Antonio, 
should  enter  into  a  compact  with  Shylock  that  is  likely  to 
cost  the  former  his  life?  Shakespeare  recognized  that  he 
had  a  difficult  problem  before  him.  The  pound-of-flesh  plot 
was  not  original  with  Shakespeare,  but  he  saw  in  it  a  fine 
opportunity  for  dramatic  effect.  He  recognized,  also,  that 
there  must  at  least  be  probability  in  his  story,  and  sought 
to  justify  himself  in  the  following  manner.  He  knew  that 
Antonio,  under  normal  conditions,  would  never  have  con- 
sented to  such  a  bond,  and  therefore  hangs  over  the  head 
of  the  merchant  a  cloud  of  sadness  and  melancholy. 

The  first  line  of  the  play  (and  it  may  be  remarked  in 
passing  that  the  opening  lines  of  Shakespeare's  plays  are 
often  most  significant)  is  put  into  the  mouth  of  Antonio : 
"  In  sooth,  I  know  not  why  I  am  so  sad."  The  speeches  of 
the  others,  Salanio  and  Salarino,  while  laying  great  stress 
upon  the  merchant's  wealth,  really  serve  the  purpose,  of 
bringing  out  the  extraordinary  sadness  of  the  latter' s  char- 
acter. Almost  every  speech  of  Antonio  in  this  first  scene 
serves  the  more  to  impress  upon  us  the  sadness  of  the 
man.  How  significant  is  this  one:  — 

"I  hold  the  world  but  as  the  world,  Gratiano ; 
A  stage  where  every  man  must  play  a  part, 
And  mine  a  sad  one." 

The  speech  of  Gratiano  assists  in  bringing  out  the  sadness 
in  Antonio's  character:  — 

*'  You  look  not  well,  Signior  Antonio  ; 
You  have  too  much  respect  upon  the  world  : 
They  lose  it  that  do  buy  it  with  much  care. 
Believe  me,  you  are  marvelously  changed." 


412  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

From  this  brief  study  of  the  first  scene  it  is  impossible 
not  to  learn  that  it  was  Shakespeare's  intention  that  An- 
tonio should  be  presented  as  a  taciturn,  melancholy  man ; 
and  the  purpose  in  so  presenting  him  is  to  give  the  pound- 
of-flesh  incident  a  degree  of  verisimilitude. 

Another  very  interesting  example  is  found  in  the  Trial 
scene  from  the  same  play.  What  is  the  author's  pur- 
pose in  inserting  the  two  speeches  of  Portia  and  Nerissa, 
respectively,  concerning  the  remarks  of  their  husbands,  in 
which  the  latter  express  a  willingness  that  their  wives 
should  be  sacrificed  to  save  Antonio  ?  In  another  connec- 
tion we  have  discussed  the  meaning  of  these  speeches,  and 
the  student  is  reminded  of  that  discussion  at  this  moment 
as  an  illustration  of  the  point  now  under  consideration. 
See  page  331. 

Again,  in  most  stage  presentations  of  Julius  Ccesar  the 
short  scene  of  the  fourth  act  following  the  Forum  scene  is 
generally  omitted.  The  ground  of  this  omission  is  that 
this  little  scene  is  an  anticlimax  to  the  finale  of  the  Forum 
scene.  This  is  an  interpretation  one  should  not  assume 
without  careful  study.  If  we  regard  the  play  simply  as  a 
story,  then,  perhaps,  the  scene  would  be  out  of  place ;  but 
there  is  a  deeper  interest  in  this  tragedy  than  that  of  the 
life  and  death  of  Brutus  and  Caesar.  The  motive  of  this 
drama  is  the  struggle  between  democracy  and  monarchy ; 
and  it  is  a  masterful  touch  of  the  poet  that  shows  us  the 
instability  and  weakness  of  the  citizens  of  Rome,  and  hence 
the  futility  of  the  efforts  of  the  conspirators.  The  Roman 
populace  was  incapable  of  self-government.  From  the  be- 
ginning to  the  end  of  the  play  the  poet  adroitly  brings  out 
their  vacillation.  The  mob  that  can  be  so  moved  as  to 
kill  Cinna  the  poet  simply  because  he  bears  the  name  of 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  413 

one  of  the  conspirators  against  whom  Antony  had  incited 
them  to  feelings  of  revenge,  is  the  poet's  most  significant 
illustration  of  their  utter  irresponsibility.  Hence  for  the 
deep  student  of  the  play  this  scene  is  the  true  climax  of 
the  act. 

Further,  immediately  after  the  Quarrel  scene  between 
Brutus  and  Cassius,  Act  IV.,  scene  iii.,  there  enters  a 
poet  who  utters  a  few  lines  and  then  is  unceremoniously 
ejected..  This  part  is  invariably  omitted  in  stage  presen- 
tation. I  ask  again,  Why  did  Shakespeare  introduce  the 
poet?  His  introduction  at  that  particular  point  of  the 
play  is  peculiarly  striking.  Shakespeare  must  have  known 
this,  and  have  had  in  mind  some  particular  purpose.  The 
poet  utters  two  lines  of  doggerel  as  follows: — 

"Love  and  be  friends,  as  two  such  men  should  be, 
For  I  have  seen  more  years,  I  am  sure,  than  ye." 

Cassius,  rejoicing  in  the  fortunate  outcome  of  his  inter- 
view with  Brutus,  an  interview  that  at  one  time  threat- 
ened to  terminate  so  seriously,  bursts  into  laughter,  and 
evidently  enjoys  the  atrocious  rhyme.  But  Brutus,  usually 
so  dignified,  so  thoughtful  of  the  feelings  of  others,  blurts 
out,  "Get  you  hence,  sirrah,  saucy  fellow,  hence;"  and 
then  the  impetuous,  irascible  Cassius  pleads  with  Brutus, 
but  to  no  avail.  In  an  angry  tone  Brutus  says,  — 

"I'll  know  his  humor,  when  he  knows  his  time  : 
What  should  the  wars  do  with  these  jigging  fools?" 

and  Cassius  thrusts  out  the  poet.  "  I  did  not  think  you 
could  have  been  so  angry,"  says  Cassius.  Then  Brutus 
gives  his  explanation.  "  O  Cassius,  I  am  sick  of  many 
griefs."  Here  is  the  explanation.  Brutus,  usually  so 


414  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

self -controlled,  so  considerate,  has  griefs  too  great  even 
for  his  stoic  nature  to  bear.  As  we  listened  to  the  Quar- 
rel scene  we  asked  ourselves  again  and  again,  Is  this  the 
Brutus  whom  we  saw  in  the  garden  with  his  beloved' 
Portia?  Is  this  the  hero  of  Rome?  Why  this  change? 
How  can  we  understand  the  harsh  and  almost  coarse 
arraignment  of  his  friend? 

"By  the  gods, 

You  shall  digest  the  venom  of  your  spleen 
Though  it  do  split  you  ;  for,  from  this  day  forth, 
I'll  use  you  for  my  mirth,  yea,  for  my  laughter, 
When  you  are  waspish." 

This  is  not  the  Brutus  whom  we  loved.  Now  the 
poet's  art  comes  to  Shakespeare's  aid.  If  the  intrusion 
of  the  "  jigging  fool "  could  so  upset  him,  is  it  any  won- 
der that  the  misdemeanor  of  Cassius  could  so  completely 
change  his  nature  ?  Cassius  says  to  him, — 

"Of  your  philosophy  you  make  no  use, 
If  you  give  place  to  accidental  evils  , " 

and  then  we  learn  the  source  of  all  his  griefs  when  Brutus 
says,  "  Portia  is  dead."  The  death  of  Portia  is  the  cause 
of  the  change  that  has  come  over  the  spirit  of  Brutus,  which 
change  is  so  marvelously  impressed  upon  us  by  the  simple 
and  yet  most  artistic  device  of  the  introduction  of  the  poet. 
All  literature  contains  many  examples  such  as  these. 
My  purpose  in  calling  the  student's  attention  to  them  is 
that  he  may  be  encouraged  in  a  more  careful  study  of  the 
text,  without  which  he  must  surely  fall  ofttimes  into  griev- 
ous error.  The  study  of  such  cases  will  awaken  within 
him  an  alertness  that  will  often  lead  to  the  discovery  of 
the  author's  intent,  which  in  turn  will  add  greatly  to  the 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  415 

vocal  and  gestural  interpretation  of  the  characters,  and 
will,  moreover,  prevent  those  erratic  and  incongruous 
interpretations  so  distasteful  to  the  student  of  literature. 

I.  Analysis  of  King  Robert  of  Sicily.  — We  are  now  to 
examine  in  detail  a  poem  as  an  example  of  literary  analy- 
sis. Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  it  is  claimed  that  there 
are  no  other  interpretations  of  words  and  lines  than  are 
herein  set  forth.  It  is  maintained,  however,  that  unless 
the  student  arrives  at  some  self-consistent  interpretation, 
artistic  rendition  will  be  impossible. 

The  poem  is  an  allegory,  having  for  its  theme  Pride 
and  its  Punishment.  The  story  is  divided  into  six  acts, 
which  may  be  respectively  entitled,  The  Temptation,  The 
Fall,  The  Punishment  (with  which  the  poem  has  most  to 
do),  The  Repentance,  The  Confession,  The  Restoration,  — 
a  perfect  analogon  of  the  Christian  scheme  of  redemption. 

The  opening  lines  introduce  King  Robert  in  the  midst 
of  regal  splendor.  This  and  his  kinship  with  the  Pope, 
Europe's  religious  sovereign,  and  with  the  Emperor  of  Al- 
lemaine,  one  of  the  most  powerful  military  monarchs,  are 
the  source  of  his  pride.  It  is  the  hour  of  evening  prayer, 
when  man,  communing  with  his  God,  should  feel  his  own 
insignificance  and  dependence.  But  Robert 

"  at'  vespers  proudly  sat 
And  heard  the  priests  chant  the  Magnificat." 

This  suggests  the  keynote  of  the  drama ;  and  how  better 
could  the  author  impress  this  upon  us  than  by  describing 
the  King  as  proud  at  such  a  time.  Over  and  over  again 
the  monks  repeat  portions  of  the  Magnificat,  until  at 
last  the  King  turns  to  his  learned  clerk  to  ask  a  transla- 


416  MENTAL    TECHM^UE. 

tion  of  the  Latin  text.  His  query  reveals  another  aspect 
of  Robert's  pride.  The  brother  of  a  Catholic  Pope,  the 
ruler  of  a  Catholic  kingdom,  has  not  deigned  to  learn  the 
sacred  tongue  of  his  church.  And  what  do  the  words 
mean  ?  It  happens  (artistically)  when  for  once  the  proud 
monarch  show^s  sufficient  interest  in  the  words  of  the  reli- 
gious ceremony  to  ask  that  they  be  translated,  that  the 
monks  are  pronouncing  what  is  virtually  a  judgment  upon 
the  sinful  man.  They  are  the  solemn  words  of  warning 
which,  if  he  heed,  may  save  him  from  his  impending  doom. 
To  punish  one  for  doing  what  he  does  not  know  to  be 
sinful  is  not  the  way  of  Providence.  King  Robert,  then, 
must  be  made  aware  of  his  iniquity,  and  hence  the  author 
puts  the  demand  for  a  translation  into  his  mouth.  The 
clerk  gives  the  meaning  of  these  words  in  the  Magnificat, 
thus  bringing  the  King  face  to  face  with  his  sin.  Then 
it  is  that  Robert  dares  defy  "  th'  Omnipotent  to  arms." 
He  regards  the  words  of  the  priests  as  a  challenge.  He 
asserts  boldly  his  self-reliance  and  independence  of  all 
divine  aid.  Note  how  his  arrogance  is  brought  out  by 
such  phrases  as  "seditious  words,"  "only  by  priests,"  and 
by  the  bold  defiance  with  which  his  speech  concludes :  — 

"  For  unto  priests  and  people  be  it  known, 
There  is  no  power  can  push  me  from  my  throne." 

And  then  the  proud  King  shows  his  utter  disregard  of 
the  divine  warning  by  yawning  and  falling  asleep  with  the 
words  of  the  Magnificat  still  ringing  in  his  ears. 

The  first  words  of  the  third  act  present  King  Robert  in 
a  new  situation.  He  who  has  been  accustomed  to  awake 
surrounded  by  his  chamberlains  and  pages,  opens  his  eyes 
to  find  himself  alone  in  the  darkness  of  the  church,  —  a 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  417 

darkness  that  is  made  more  terrible  by  the  few  dim  tapers 
that  light  "  a  little  space  before  some  saint."  Already  the 
punishment  has  begun,  although  the  King  fails  to  recog- 
nize it :  he  regards  his  position  as  simply  an  accident. 
We  can  conceive  his  rage  that  he  should  upon  awaking 
find  himself  thus  unattended.  His  kingly  dignity  deserts 
him.  He  rushes  hither  and  thither  in  his  consternation, 
crying  and  shrieking,  uttering  oaths  and  imprecations. 
But  the  only  answer  he  receives  to  his  shouts  for  help 
are  echoes  of  his  own  words,  coming  back  to  him  as  the 
ironical  laughter  of  the  dead  priests  whose  religion  he  has 
mocked.  This  description  gives  us  a  hint  as  to  the  man- 
ner of  King  Robert's  punishment.  By  degrees  he  comes 
to  realize  that  he  is  divested  of  all  the  attributes  of  king- 
ship, until  at  last  he  is  reduced  to  the  position  of  a  court 
jester. 

We  may  notice  in  this  scene  how,  in  the  presence  of 
the  slightest  mishap,  the  very  essence  of  kingliness  —  dig- 
nity —  has  deserted  him. 

And  now  the  sexton,  who  has  heard  his  cry,  goes  falter- 
ingly  to  investigate.  To  his  question,  "Who  is  there?"  the 
King,  half  choked  with  rage,  replies,  "'Tis  I,  the  King;  " 
but  so  changed  is  his  voice  that  it  is  no  longer  recognized 
by  the  sexton,  who  believes  it  to  be  that  of  some  common 
vagabond.  Here  is  another  touch  by  which  the  author 
discloses  the  degradation  of  King  Robert.  That  menial, 
who  would  have  deemed  it  a  special  privilege  to  be  al- 
lowed to  prostrate  himself  in  the  dust  before  his  King, 
characterizes  his  utterance  as  that  of  a  drunken  vagrant. 
But  whoever  he  may  be  he  must  be  released ;  and  so  the 
portals  open  wide,  and  before  our  eyes  appears  the  sorry 
figure  of  the  King,  whose  fright  and  consternation  are  so 


418  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

well  depicted  in  the  closing  lines  of  the  scene.  King 
Robert's  dignity  is  gone,  and  now  his  self-control  deserts 
him. 

The  opening  lines  of  the  third  scene  of  this  act  remind 
us  of  the  regal  splendor  in  the  midst  of  which  we  found 
the  King  at  the  opening  of  the  poem ,  but  we  are  reminded 
of  this  only  that  the  contrast  with  his  present  condition 
may  be  the  more  striking. 

"  Bareheaded,  breathless  and  besprent  with  mire, 
With  sense  of  wrong  and  outrage  desperate," 

he  rushes  headlong  to  the  palace,  mounts  the  sound- 
ing stair,  and  reaches  at  last  the  banquet-room.  But 
what  a  picture  meets  his  eyes  !  There,  seated  upon  his 
throne,  and  wearing  his  robes,  and  crown,  and  signet-ring, 
is  an  angel,  who  has  been  sent  down  to  punish  the  haughty 
monarch.  Imagine  the  rage  of  Robert  when,  standing  in 
his  own  halls,  the  angel  demands  of  him  who  he  is,  and 
why  he  has  come.  With  haughty  pride  he  answers,  "  I  am 
the  King."  He  means  not  only  that  he  is  nominally  King, 
but  that  his  power  is  dependent  upon  no  one.  He  reigns 
because  he  chooses  to  reign,  and  is  accountable  to  none 
for  his  action.  Forgetting  that  kingly  sway  is  simply 
divine  authority  temporarily  delegated  to  the  mortal,  King 
Robert  dares  to  bid  defiance  to  Almighty  God  himself. 
No  sooner  has  the  reply  passed  his  lips  than  we  note  an- 
other step  in  his  degradation.  The  courtiers,  whose  lives 
heretofore  have  been  at  the  disposal  of  the  King,  grasp 
their  swords  in  angry  response  to  his  bold  challenge, 
whereupon  the  angel  answers  with  unruffled  brow,  —  and 
how  significant  is  the  "  unruffled  brow  "  of  the  calm  soul 
within,  significant  too,  of  the  fact  that  God  punishes  not 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  419 

in  wrath,  but  in  mercy,  —  "  Nay,  not  the  King,  but  the 
King's  Jester,"  and  then  pronounces  the  sentence  upon 
the  unfortunate  man.  And  how  appropriate  is  the  punish- 
ment :  To  become  a  jester,  and  to  have  for  his  counselor  an 
ape  !  No  one  recognizes  him ;  and  deriving  rare  sport  from 
the  action  of  this  would-be  King,  the  pages  and  the  court 
attendants  thrust  him  from  the  hall.  Again  we  note  the 
author's  purpose  as  King  Robert  enters  the  dining-hall  of 
the  men-at-arms.  The  pages,  we  may  suppose,  have  run 
on  before,  and  told  the  story  of  this  strange  being  who  be- 
lieves himself  to  be  their  King ;  and  as  he  enters  into  their 
midst  we  see  them  rise,  and  hear  them  fill  the  hall  with 
the  mock  toast,  "  Long  live  the  King  !  " 

Let  us  stop  here  a  moment  to  note  the  stages  of  King 
Robert's  degradation.  He  awakes  to  find  himself  alone; 
then  his  fright  and  consternation  ;  then  his  infuriate  rage ; 
then  his  undignified  escape  from  the  church,  as,  afraid  of 
being  alone,  he  rushes  like  a  madman  to  his  palace,  where 
he  finds  he  is  unknown ;  then  we  note  the  question  of  the 
angel  and  King  Robert's  answer,  which  is  followed  by  the 
uprising  of  the  courtiers ;  then  the  sentence  and  his  igno- 
minious dismissal  from  the  hall ;  the  tittering  of  the  pages ; 
and  last  of  all  the  climax  in  the  sarcastic  toast  of  the  men- 
at-arms. 

Exhausted  by  the  intense  strain  that  he  has  under- 
gone, King  Robert  falls  asleep  upon  his  bed  of  straw. 
But  dawn  brings  him  no  relief.  As  he  opens  his  eyes  the 
fearful  trial  through  which  he  has  passed  flashes  before 
his  mind,  and  he  endeavors  to  shake  it  off  as  if  it  were  a 
nightmare.  But  the  rustling  of  the  straw  upon  which  he 
lies  brings  him  to  the  consciousness  of  his  terrible  plight, 
He  sees  the  cap  and  bells,  he  hears  the  champing  of  the 


420  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

steeds  in  the  stable,  and  last,  and  most  frightful  of  all,  dis- 
cerns the  revolting  figure  of  the  wretched  ape,  his  coun- 
selor. Then  in  two  lines  the  author  sums  up  his  story  as 
far  as  it  has  progressed.  The  great  world,  the  only  world 
in  which  King  Robert  lived  and  believed,  is  turned  to  dust 
and  ashes.  As  the  hungry  traveler  on  the  shores  of  the 
Dead  Sea  plucks  from  the  tree  the  apple  which  is  to  sat- 
isfy his  hunger,  but  finds  within  the  tempting  exterior  only 
decay  and  rottenness,  so  King  Robert's  world,  that  seemed 
to  him  so  fair,  turns  to  dust  and  ashes  at  his  touch.  Now, 
at  last,  King  Robert  recognizes  his  condition,  and  perhaps, 
too,  begins  to  see  that  it  is  no  accident  that  has  brought 
him  where  he  is.  But  his  pride  and  obstinacy  are  stronger 
than  ever ;  and  he  determines  that  nothing  shall  humiliate 
him,  nothing  shall  cause  him  to  retract  his  sacrilegious 
words  of  defiance.  We  see  truly  that  there  is  a  power  to 
push  him  from  his  throne,  but  he,  blinded  by  pride,  cannot 
or  will  not  recognize  it. 

We  come  now  to  the  suggestive  interlude  that  has 
already  been  commented  upon.  The  calm,  restful  picture 
of  prosperous  Sicily  conies  aptly  in  to  relieve  the  strain  of 
the  King's  suffering,  but  the  very  prosperity  of  the  island 
serves  only  to  intensify  his  anguish.  Mocked  at  and 
scoffed,  the  butt  of  every  courtier,  with  his  only  friend 
the  ape,  he  wanders  a  slave  through  those  halls  in  which 
he  had  been  wont  to  command.  Day  by  day  his  pun- 
ishment becomes  more  unbearable,  and  yet  his  spirit  is 
unbroken.  For  three  long  years  his  pride  continues  un- 
subdued. Day  by  day  the  angel  meets  him,  and  puts  to 
him  that  suggestive  question,  "  Art  thou  the  King  ?  "  and 
day  by  day,  with  undiminished  rage  and  bitterness,  King 
Robert  lifts  high  his  forehead,  and  haughtily  answers 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  421 

back,  "  I  am,  —  I  am  the  King."  This  portion  of  the 
allegory  is  quite  clear.  God  has  so  arranged  his  world 
that  those  who  will  may  pursue  the  course  of  righteous- 
ness. God's  eternal  laws  are  saying  to  us  every  day, 
Art  thou  the  King?"  and  it  is  only  man's  pride  and 
selfishness  that  urges  him  to  reply  as  King  Robert  did. 
We  have  but  to  conform  to  God's  laws  as  we  understand 
them  to  have  peace  and  contentment.  This  is  the  lesson 
that  Longfellow's  allegory  teaches  us.  The  angel  in  this 
story  need  not  necessarily  indicate  a  special  messenger 
sent  forth  to  punish  the  king,  but  rather  the  laws  of  the 
universe  against  which  King  Robert  had  set  himself  in 
open  revolt.  When  one  adjusts  himself  to  law  he  is  like 
one  swimming  with  the  current,  which  to  oppose  is  failure, 
ruin,  heartbreak,  death. 

Let  us  note  that  King  Robert's  suffering  has  become 
more  and  more  intense  as  time  has  gone  on.  And  here, 
again,  the  allegory  stands  out.  The  punishment  for  the 
violation  of  law  becomes  greater  and  greater  as  one  per- 
sists in  the  violation.  With  humanity,  as  with  King- 
Robert,  the  difficulty  of  freeing  one's  self  from  the  thrall 
of  evil-doing  becomes  harder  and  harder  as  time  passes. 

We  can  easily  imagine  King  Robert  nursing  his  wrath 
with  thoughts  of  vengeance.  With  each  new  indignity 
heaped  upon  him,  we  can  imagine  him  saying  to  himself, 
The  day  of  reckoning  will  come ;  then  woe  betide  ye 
who  have  put  me  to  this  shame.  But  to  whom  shall  he 
turn?  Every  friend  has  deserted  him,  every  arm  upon 
which  he  has  leaned  has  been  drawn  away.  If  he  could 
but  send  intelligence  of  his  condition  to  his  brothers,  then 
might  he  hope  for  recognition.  Day  after  day  he  harbors 
these  thoughts,  when  at  last,  into  the  darkness  and  gloom 


422  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

of  his  life  comes  a  ray  of  light.  Messages  have  been  sent 
summoning  King  Robert  to  meet  his  brothers  in  Rome. 

Again  we  have  the  interlude.  We  see  before  our  eyes 
the  gorgeous  cavalcade  as  it  passes  on  its  way  to  the  Holy 
City,  and  in  the  midst  of  it  the  dejected  figure  of  the 
would-be  King,  sitting  upon  his  piejbald  steed,  and  behind 
him  the  chattering  ape.  But,  thinks  King  Robert,  At 
last  the  day  of  reckoning  is  come.  As  the  Pope  pro- 
nounces his  benediction  upon  the  visiting  embassies,  the 
Jester  bursts  through  the  throng..  It  has  already  been 
shown  how  all  have  deserted  Robert,  how  every  earthly 
help  has  been  taken  from  him,  and  we  see  now  that  his 
last  chance  has  come.  Without  the  slightest  fear  that  his 
appeal  may  be  in  vain,  the  King  rushes  into  the  presence 
of  the  Pope,  demanding  recognition  ;  but  to  his  impas- 
sioned words  there  is  no  response  but  the  astonished  gaze 
of  bewilderment  from  his  brothers.  The  poor  man  now 
realizes  that  his  last  hope  is  slipping  from  him.  Where 
shall  he  turn  if  his  final  appeal  be  in  vain?  There 
stretches  before  him  years  and  years  of  suffering  and  deg- 
radation, scorn  and  obloquy.  For  him  who  had  held  the 
scepter  many  years  unchallenged,  there  is  left  now  only 
servitude  and  despair.  Think,  then,  of  his  anguish  as  he 
appealingly  says,  — 

"  Do  you  not  know  me  ?    Does  no  voice  within 
Answer  my  cry  and  say  we  are  akin  ?  " 

The  Pope  views  him  in  silence.  But  what  is  the  agony 
of  King  Robert  when  the  hand  that  he  had  expected 
would  reach  out  to  him  in  brotherly  love,  thrusts  him 
back  with  a  laughing  jest,  — 


EXAMPLES  OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  423 

"It  is  strange  sport 
To  keep  a  madman  for  thy  Fool  at  court.' 


And  so  the  meeting  that  he  had  dreamt  of  and  prayed 
for  so  long,  the  meeting  that  was  to  restore  him  to 
his  position,  only  takes  away  his  last  hope,  and  leaves  him 
reeling  on  the  brink  of  madness.  Here,  again,  the  purpose 
of  the  allegory  is  manifest.  Just  so  long  as  man  opposes 
the  inevitable,  just  so  long  does  his  punishment  continue 
and  grow  harder  and  harder  to  bear.  True  liberty  is  not 
synonymous  with  license ;  man  is  free  only  when  he 
chooses  to  conform  to  the  higher  laws  in  the  midst  of 
which  he  lives.  If  King  Robert  had  at  any  time  in  the 
course  of  the  past  three  years  condescended  to  submit  to 
the  inevitable,  at  that  very  moment  the  angel  would  have 
disappeared,  and  the  King  would  have  been  restored  to 
his  own.  So  in  life.  The  moment  that  one  who  finds 
himself  out  of  harmony  with  God's  laws  chooses  but  to 
adjust  himself  to  those  laws,  that  moment  brings  peace. 

And  now  Easter  Sunday  gleams  upon  the  sky.  The 
Easter-tide,  with  its  lesson  of  new  birth,  comes  to  the 
Holy  City,  and  the  story  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Christ 
fills  with  new  fervor  the  hearts  of  men.  King  Robert 
comes  at  last  to  the  consciousness  of  his  sin.  All  earthly 
hope  has  passed,  and  to  those  eyes  that  pride  has  blinded 
for  so  long  comes  the  vision  of  eternal  love.  To  those 
ears  deafened  by  arrogance  and  obstinacy  comes  the  sound 
of  the  rustling  garments  of  Him  who  brought  peace  and 
good-will  to  men.  At  last  the  suffering  monarch  recog- 
nizes his  sin,  and  with  the  hot  tears  of  repentance  falling 
down  his  cheeks,  he  sinks  upon  the  floor  in  prayer.  Is 
not  this  the  experience  of  all  men  ?  For  years  and  years 


424  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

a  man  has  endeavored  with  his  feeble  powers  to  swim 
against  the  current  of  eternal  power,  until  at  last  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  futility  of  his  efforts  dawns  upon  him, 
and  he  reverses  his  course,  content  to  let  himself  be  borne 
/»n  by  the  great  stream  of  divine  love. 

King  Robert  has  now  repented  ;  but  repentance  without 
confession  is  of  no  avail.  The  murderous  king  who  has 
slain  his  brother  Hamlet  feels  the  anguish  of  remorse  as 
he  stands  within  his  private  chamber  before  the  figure  of 

the  crucified  Christ.     He  says,  — 

• 

*  My  words  fly  up,  my  thoughts  remain  below; 
Words  without  thoughts  never  to  heaven  go." 

King  Robert  perceives  this  great  truth.  His  punishment 
has  made  him  humble.  He  is  willing  to  resign  everything  ; 
and  when,  once  more,  the  familiar  question  of  the  Angel  is 
heard,  with  most  pathetic  humility  he  says,  — 

"  Thou  knowest  best. 
My  sins  as  scarlet  are  ;  let  me  go  hence, 
And  in  some  cloister's  school  of  penitence, 
Across  those  stones  that  pave  the  way  to  heaven 
Walk  barefoot  till  my  guilty  soul  be  shriven." 

No  sooner  has  this  condition  of  Robert's  heart  been 
manifested,  than  the  whole  palace  is  filled  with  the  holy 
light  of  God's  forgiveness,  and  once  more  the  author 
brings  in  the  chanting  of  the  monks ;  but  how  different  is 
its  significance  now  in  the  ears  of  King  Robert.  At  the 
time  the  Magnificat  was  interpreted  to  him,  it  was  the 
"  Deposuit  potentes "  that  applied  to  King  Robert.  He 
was  one  of  the  mighty,  the  mighty  proud  that  God  was  to 
put  down.  Now  he  is  one  of  the  humble,  and  is  to  be 
raised  up.  Through  the  chanting  of  the  monks  one  clear 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  425 

note  is  heard,  the  note  that  explains  to  King  Robert  that 
it  has  been  through  God's  love  of  the  sinner  that  he  has 
been  made  to  undergo  such  fearful  suffering,  — 

"  I  am  an  Angel,  and  thou  art  the  King." 

The  moment  that  one  makes  up  his  mind  to  conform 
to  law  he  becomes  himself.  It  is  only  when  one  sees 
himself  as  he  really  is  that  he  becomes  a  true  man ;  and 
so  the  .last  stanza  of  the  poem  shows  us  King  Robert 
restored  to  his  former  place,  and  — 

"all  appareled  as  in  days  of  old, 
With  ermined  mantle  and  with  cloth  of  gold." 

The  poem  closes  with  a  passage  that  presents  him  in  strik- 
ing contrast  to  what  he  has  been  through  the  past  three 
years.  When  the  courtiers  left  King  Robert  he  was  sacri- 
legiously defying  the  mandate  of  the  Almighty ;  when  they 
see  him  again  as  the  King  they  find  him  —  and  his  atti- 
tude is  the  prophecy  of  his  future  life,  - 

"  Kneeling  upon  the  floor,  absorbed  in  silent  prayer." 


KING  KOBERT   OF   SICILY.  —  H.   W.    LONGFELLOW.! 

ACTS   I.    AND    II.       THE    TEMPTATION    AND    THE    FALL. 

Connections  Robert  of  Sicily,  brother  of  Pope  Urbane  introduction 

And  Valmond,  Emperor  of  Allemaine, 
and  Appareled  in  magnificent  attire, 

With  retinue  of  many  a  knight  and  squire, 

On  St.  John's  eve,  at  vespers,  proudly  sat 
Surround-      And  heard  the  priests  chant  the  Magnificat. 
ings          And  as  he  listened,  o'er  and  o'er  again 

Repeated,  like  a  burden  or  refrain, 

1  By  permission  of,  and  arrangement  with,  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co. 


426 


MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 


The  Warn- 
ing 


The  Fall 


He  caught  the  words,  "  Deposuit  potentes 

De  sede,  et  exaltavit  humiles ; " 

And  slowly  lifting  up  his  kingly  head 

He  to  a  learned  clerk  beside  him  said, 

"What   mean   those   words?"     The  clerk   made 

answer  meet, 

"He  has  put  down  the  mighty  from  their  seat, 
And  has  exalted  them  of  low  degree." 
Thereat  King  Robert  muttered  scornfully, 
"  'Tis  well  that  such  seditious  words  are  sung 
Only  by  priests  and  in  the  Latin  tongue  ; 
For  unto  priests  and  people  be  it  known, 
There  is  no  power  can  push  me  from  my  throne! " 
And  leaning  back,  he  yawned  and  fell  asleep, 
Lulled  by  the  chant  monotonous  and  deep 


Scene  1 : 

Punishment 
begins,  but 
King  Robert 
does  not 
recognize  his 
misfortune 
as  punish- 
ment 


Loss  of 
dignity 


Scene  2 
Alienation 


ACT    III.       THE    PUNISHMENT. 

When  he  awoke,  it  was  already  night ;  Contrast 

The  church  was  empty,  and  there  was  no  light, 
Save  where  the  lamps,  that  glimmered  few  and 

faint, 

Lighted  a  little  space  before  some  saint. 
He  started  from  his  seat  and  gazed  around, 
But  saw  no  living  thing  and  heard  no  sound. 
He  groped  towards  the  door,  but  it  was  locked  ; 
He  cried  aloud,  and  listened,  and  then  knocked, 
And  uttered  awful  threatenings  and  complaints, 
And  imprecations  upon  men  and  saints. 
The  sounds  reechoed  from  the  roof  and  walls 
As  if  dead  priests  were  laughing  in  their  stalls. 


Movement 


Movement J 
(continued) 


At  length  the  sexton,  hearing  from  without 
The  tumult  of  the  knocking  and  the  shout, 
And  thinking  thieves  were  in  the  house  of  prayer, 
Came  with  his  lantern,  asking,  "Who  is  there?" 
Half  choked  with  rage,  King  Robert  fiercely  said, 
"Open:  'tis  I  the  King!    Art  thou  afraid?" 
The  frightened  sexton,  muttering  with  a  curse, 
"  This  is  some  drunken  vagabond,  or  worse  ! " 

1  The  attention  of  the  student  is  here  directed  to  the  progress  of  the  punisu 
muni  from  stage  to  stage  to  the  end  of  Act  III. 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS. 


427 


Loss  of  self- 
control 


Turned  the  great  key  and  flung  the  portal  wide; 
A  man  rushed  by  him  at  a  single  stride, 
Haggard,  half  naked,  without  hat  or  cloak, 
Who  neither  turned,  nor  looked  at  him,  nor  spoke, 
But  leaped  into  the  blackness  of  the  night, 
And  vanished  like  a  specter  from  his  sight. 


Scene  3  : 

Complete 
loss  of 
dignity  and 
self-control 


Scene  4  . 

Instrument 
of  punish- 
ment 


Scene  5 , 


Robert  of  Sicily,  brother  of  Pope  Urbane  Repetition 

And  Valmond,  Emperor  of  Allemaine, 

Despoiled  of  his  magnificent  attire, 

Bareheaded,  breathless  and  besprent  with  mire, 

With  sense  of  wrong  and  outrage  desperate, 

Strode  on  and  thundered  at  the  palace  gate 

Rushed  through  the  courtyard,  thrusting  in  his  rage 

To  right  and  left  each  seneschal  and  page, 

And  hurried  up  the  broad  and  sounding  stair, 

His  white  face  ghastly  in  the  torches'  glare. 

From  hall  to  hall  he  passed  with  breathless  speed; 

Voices  and  cries  he  heard,  but  did  not  heed, 

Until  at  last  he  reached  the  banquet-room, 

Blazing  with  light,  and  breathing  with  perfume.  Contrast 

There  on  the  da'is  sat  another  king, 

Wearing  his  robes,  his  crown,  his  signet-ring  — 

King  Robert's  self  in  features,  form,  and  height, 

But  all  transfigured  with  angelic  light  ! 

It  was  an  Angel  ;  and  his  presence  there 

With  a  divine  effulgence  filled  the  air, 

An  exaltation,  piercing  the  disguise, 

Though  none  the  hidden  angel  recognize. 

A  moment  speechless,  motionless,  amazed, 
The  throneless  monarch  on  the  Angel  gazed, 
Who  met  his  look  of  anger  and  surprise 
With  the  divine  compassion  of  his  eyes  , 
Then  said,  "  Who  art  thou  ?  and  why  com'st  thou 

here?" 

To  which  King  Robert  answered,  with  a  sneer, 
"  I  am  the  King,  and  come  to  claim  my  own 
From  an  impostor,  who  usurps  my  throne  !" 


428 


MEN  TA  L    TECIINIQ  UE. 


And  suddenly,  at  these  audacious  words, 
Alienation     Up    sprang    the    angry   guests,    and    dre\v  'their 

swords  ; 

The  Angel  answered,  with  unruffled  brow, 
"  Nay,  not  the  King,  but  the  King's  Jester  ;  thou 
The  sentence  Henceforth  shall  wear  the  bells  and  scalloped  cape, 
And  for  thy  counselor  shalt  lead  an  ape  ; 
Thou  shalt  obey  my  servants  when  they  call, 
And  wait  upon  my  henchmen  in  the  hall  ! " 


Scene  6 


Alienation 


Scene  7 


Recognition 
of  punish- 
ment 


Deaf    to    King   Robert's    threats    and   cries    and 

prayers, 
They  thrust  him   from  the   hall   and   down   the 

stairs  •, 

A. group  of  tittering  pages  ran  before, 
And  as  they  opened  wide  the  folding  door, 
His  heart  failed,  for  he  heard,  with  strange  alarms, 
The  boisterous  laughter  of  the  men-at-arms, 
And  all  the  vaulted  chamber  roar  and  ring 
With  the  mock  plaudits  of  "Long  live  the  King  !" 

Next  morning,  waking  with  the  day's  first  beam, 
He  said  within  himself,  "It  was  a  dream  !" 
But  the  straw  rustled  as  he  turned  his  head, 
There  were  the  cap  and  bells  beside  his  bed  ; 
Around  him  rose  the  bare,  discolored  walls, 
Close  by,  the  steeds  were  champing  in  their  stalls, 
And  in  the  corner,  a  revolting  shape, 
Shivering  and  chattering,   sat   the  wretched  ape. 
It  was  no  dream  ;  the  world  he  loved  so  much 
Had  turned  to  dust  and  ashes  at  his  touch  ! 


Contrast 
emphasized 


There  is  a  j>ower  to  push  him  from  the  throne  t 
Scene  8  : 

Days  came  and  went  ;  and  now  returned  again 

To  Sicily  the  old  Saturnian  reign  ; 

Under  the  Angel's  governance  benign 

The  happy  island  danced  with  corn  and  wine,      Interlnde 

And  deep  within  the  mountain's  burning  breast 

Encelaclus,  the  giant,  was  at  rest. 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  429 

Scene  9  : 

Meanwhile  King  Robert  yielded  to  his  fate, 

Sullen  and  silent  and  disconsolate. 

Dressed  in  the  motley  garb  that  Jesters  wear,      Contrast 

With  look  bewildered,  and  a  vacant  stare, 

Close  shaven  above  the  ears,  as  monks  are  shorn, 

By  courtiers  mocked,  by  pages  laughed  to  scorn, 

His  only  friend  the  ape,  his  only  food 

Continued      What  others  left,  —  he  still  was  unsubdued. 

and*3""8       And  when  the  angel  met  him  on  his  way, 

obstinacy        And  ha]f  jn  earnestj    lialf   in   jest,    would   Say, 

Sternly,  though  tenderly,  that  he  might  feel 
The  velvet  scabbard  held  a  sword  of  steel, 
"Art  thou  the  King?"  the  passion  of  his  woe 
Burst  from  him  in  resistless  overflow, 
And,  lifting  high  his  forehead,  he  would  fling 
The   haughty  answer    back,    "  I   am,    I   am  the 

King  !  " 
Scene  10  ; 

Almost  three  years  were  ended;  when  there  came  interlude 

Ambassadors  of  great  repute  and  name 

From  Valmond,  Emperor  of  Allemaine, 

Unto  King  Robert,  saying  that  Pope  Urbane 

By  letter  summoned  them  forthwith  to  come 

On  Holy  Thursday  to  his  city  of  Rome. 

The  Angel  with  great  joy  received  his  guests, 

And  gave  them  presents  of  embroidered  vests, 

And  velvet  mantles  with  rich  ermine  lined, 

And  rings  and  jewels  of  the  rarest  kind. 

Then  he  departed  with  them  o'er  the  sea  an(3 

Into  the  lovely  land  of  Italy, 

Whose  loveliness  was  more  resplendent  made 

By  the  mere  passing  of  that  cavalcade, 

With  plumes,  and  cloaks,  and  housings,  and  the 

stir 

Of  jeweled  bridle  and  of  golden  spur. 
And  lo!  among  the  menials,  in  mock  state, 
Upon  a  piebald  steed,  with  shambling  gait, 
His  cloak  of  foxtails  flapping  in  the  wind, 
The  solemn  ape  demurely  perched  behind, 


430 


MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 


King  Robert  rode,  making  huge  merriment  Contrast 

In  all    the   country  towns   through  which  they 
went. 


Scene  11 : 


Last  hope 


Complete 
alienation 


The  Pope  received  them  with  great  pomp  and 

blare 

Of  bannered  trumpets  on  St.  Peter's  square, 
Giving  his  benediction  and  embrace, 
Fervent  and  full  of  apostolic  grace. 
While  with  congratulations  and  with  prayers, 
He  entertained  the  Angel  unawares, 
Robert,  the  Jester,  bursting  through  the  crowd, 
Into  their  presence  rushed,  and  cried  aloud, 
44 1  am  the  King  !     Look  and  behold  in  me 
Robert,  your  brother,  King  of  Sicily  ! 
This  man,  who  wears  my  semblance  to  your  eyes, 
Is  an  impostor  in  a  king's  disguise. 
Do  you  not  know  me  ?     Does  no  voice  within 
Answer  my  cry,  and  say  we  are  akin  ?  " 
The  Pope  in  silence,  but  with  troubled  mien, 
Gazed  at  the  Angel's  countenance  serene  ; 
The  Emperor,  laughing,  said,  "  It  is  strange  sport 
To  keep  a  madman  for  thy  Fool  at  court  1 " 
And  the  poor,  baffled  Jester  in  disgrace 
Was  hustled  back  among  the  populace. 


ACT   IV.      REPENTANCE. 

In  solemn  state  the  Holy  Week  went  by, 
And  Easter  Sunday  gleamed  upon  the  sky  ; 
The  presence  of  the  Angel,  with  its  light, 
Before  the  sun  rose,  made  the  city  bright, 
And  with  new  fervor  filled  the  hearts  of  men, 
Who  felt  that  Christ  indeed  had  risen  again. 
Even  the  Jester  on  his  bed  of  straw, 
With  haggard  eyes  the  unwonted  splendor  saw, 
He  felt  within  a  power  unfelt  before, 
And,  kneeling  humbly  on  his  chamber  floor, 
He  heard  the  rushing  garments  of  the  Lord*         contrast 
Repentance  Sweep  t^ugh  the  silent  air,  ascending  heaven- 
ward. 


Knowledge 
of  sin 


Act  Ji. 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  431 


ACT    V.      CONFESSION. 

And  now  the  visit  ending,  and  once  more 

Yalmond  returning  to  the  Danube's  shore, 

Homeward  the  Angel  journeyed,  and  again 

The  land  was  made  resplendent  with  his  train, 

Flashing  along  the  towns  of  Italy 

Unto  Salerno,  and  from  thence  by  sea.  Repetition 

And  when  once  more  within  Palermo's  wall, 

And  seated  on  the  throne  in  his  great  hall, 

He  heard  the  Angelus  from  convent  towers, 

As  if  the  better  world  conversed  with  ours, 

He  beckoned  to  King  Robert  to  draw  nigher, 

And  with  a  gesture  bade  the  rest  retire. 

And  when  they  were  alone,  the  Angel  said, 

14  Art  thou  the  King  ?  "     Then,  bowing  down  his 

head,  Contrast 

King  Robert  crossed  both  hands  upon  his  breast, 
And  meekly  answered  him:  "  Thou  knowest  best! 
My  sins  as  scarlet  are  ;   let  me  go  hence, 
And  in  some  cloister's  school  of  penitence, 
Across    those    stones    that    pave    the    way    to 

heaven, 
Walk  barefoot  till  my  guilty  soul  be  shriven." 

The  Angel  smiled,  and  from  his  radiant  face 
A  holy  light  illumined  all  the  place, 
And  through  the  open  window,  loud  and  clear, 
They  heard  the  monks  chant  in  the  chapel  near, 

Above  the  stir  and  tumult  of  the  street  : 

Ke  petition 

44  He  has  put  down  the  mighty  from  their  seat, 
And  has  exalted  them  of  low  degree  !" 
And  through  the  chant  a  second  melody 

Revocation    Rose  like  the  throbbing  of  a  single  string  t 
of  sentence     UJ  am  an   Angel  and  thou  art  tne  King  pi 


ACT    VI.       RESTORATION. 

King  Robert,  who  was  standing  near  the  throne, 

Lifted  his  eyes,  and  lo  !  he  was  alone 

But  all  appareled  as  in  days  of  old, 

With  ermined  mantle  and  with  cloth  of  gold  ; 


432  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

And   when  his   courtiers   came,  they  found  him 

there, 
Kneeling    upon    the    floor,    absorbed    in    silent  Contrast 

prayer. 

II.  Analysis  of  Mark  Antony's  Funeral  Oration.  —  It  is 
our  purpose  to  analyze  Mark  Antony's,  funeral  oration  as  a 
study  in  oratorical  tact.  Whatever  we  may  have  to  say 
concerning  the  legitimacy  of  Antony's  methods,  we  must 
bear  in  mind  that  he  was  talking  to  an  ignorant,  vulgar 
mob ;  that  he  fully  appreciated  this  fact,  and  adjusted  his 
style  to  his  environment.  What  he  was  aiming  at  was  the 
creation  of  a  certain  sentiment  antagonistic  to  Brutus  and 
Cassius  and  favorable  to  himself.  As  the  great  Irish  ora- 
tor once  remarked,  "  A  fine  speech  is  a  great  thing ;  but 
the  greatest  thing  is  the  verdict."  Bearing  this  in  mind, 
we  may  the  better  be  prepared  to  appreciate  the  consum- 
mate art  of  Mark  Antony. 

I  shall  take  for  granted  that  the  student  is  tolerably 
familiar  with  the  play  of  Julius  Ccesar,  and  hence  with  the 
conditions  leading  up  to  the  great  Forum  scene.  Brutus 
has  permitted  Mark  Antony  to  speak  in  Caasar's  funeral, 
having  extracted  from  him  a  promise  that  he  would  say 
nothing  unfavorable  to  the  conspirators.  The  day  of  the 
funeral  is  at  hand.  Brutus  first  addresses  the  citizens  in 
a  speech  which  is  the  consummation  of  what  an  oration 
should  not  be.  Brutus  makes  his  plea  to  the  Roman  peo- 
ple ;  his  remarks  lack  everything  but  honesty.  In  plain- 
est, bluntest  fashion,  paying  no  attention  whatsoever  to 
the  simplest  principles  of  popular  oratory,  he  informs  the 
citizens  that  he  has  killed  CaBsar  because  he  was  ambitious. 
But  what  do  the  vulgar  citizens  care  for  such  things?  In 
our  own  time,  two  thousand  years  after  Cassar,  the  political 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  433 

boss  can  drive  his  henchmen  to  the  polls  to  vote  in  any 
given  way  for  a  dollar  or  two  a  head.  How  much,  then, 
can  we  expect  in  the  days  when  the  common  citizens  were 
little  more  than  slaves  ?  Brutus  is  an  altruist,  and  there- 
fore believes  that  the  mob  will  regard  the  conspiracy  as  he 
does.  Caesar  fell  by  the  sword  of  his  dearest  friend  be- 
cause Rome's  liberty  was  in  danger.  It  was  that  these 
citizens,  to  whom  Brutus  now  spoke,  might  continue  to  en- 
joy the  freedom  or  partial  freedom  that  was  their  present 
lot  that  Brutus  joined  the  heinous  conspiracy  of  Cassius. 

But  note,  not  a  word  of  this  to  the  mob ;  no  attempt  to 
show  them  that  it  was  for  their  particular  individual  inter- 
est that  Caesar  died.  As  the  speech  of  Brutus  concludes, 
and  Mark  Antony  with  Caesar's  bpdy  appears  upon  the 
scene,  Brutus  remarks,  — 

"  Here  comes  his  body,  mourned  by  Mark  Antony,  who,  though  he 
had  no  hand  in  his  death,  shall  receive  the  benefit  of  his  dying,  a  place 
in  the  commonwealth;  as  which  of  you  shall  not  ?" 

In  other  words,  he  throws  into  a  parenthesis  (and 
probably  would  not  have  uttered  it  at  all  had  it  not  been 
that  Antony  appeared  at  this  moment)  his  strongest  argu- 
ment with  these  people.  It  was  that  every  Roman  citizen 
should  have  a  voice  and  place  in  the  commonwealth  that 
Caesar  died.  This  should  have  been  the  keynote  of  his 
whole  oration.  Mark  Antony  has  but  one  argument  with 
such  a  mob,  and  that  is  that  Caesar  loved  each  one  of  them 
as  individuals,  and  this  love  is  manifested  in  the  will. 
All  his  oration  is  arranged  to  enhance  the  effect  of  this 
will,  and  it  is  our  purpose  now  to  examine  in  detail  Mark 
Antony's  method. 

As   Brutus  concludes  his  speech,  the  air  is  filled  with 


434  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

shouts  and  acclamations.  "  Bring  him  with  triumph  home 
unto  his  house,"  shouts  one.  "  Give  him  a  statue  with  his 
ancestors,"  cries  another.  And  the  death-knell  of  Brutus' 
hopes  are  sounded  when  the  Third  Citizen  shouts,  "  Let 
him  be  Caesar!"  These  four  words,  introduced  most  natu- 
rally, and  without  apparent  effort  or  strain  on  Shake- 
speare's part,  are  most  significant  as  indicating  the  uttei 
futility  of  the  oratory  of  Brutus.  It  was  that  Rome  should 
have  no  Caesar  that  Brutus  had  dipped  his  hand  in  the  blood 
of  his  friend ;  and  yet  the  conclusion  of  his  speech  in  justifi- 
cation of  his  course  is  greeted  by  the  shout,  Let's  have  an- 
other Csesar !  Mark  Antony  notes  the  effect  of  the  speech 
of  Brutus,  and  the  difficulty  of  his  task  appears  to  him  the 
greater. 

One  false  step  at  the  beginning,  and  his  opportunity  is 
lost.  Let  the  student  search  all  the  records  of  oratory  and 
he  will  find  no  more  consummate  exhibition  of  oratorical 
tact  than  is  manifested  in  the  opening  words  of  Antony : 
"  For  Brutus'  sake,  I  am  beholding  to  you."  His  first 
words  are  a  tribute  to  their  newly  erected  idol  and  to  the 
citizens  themselves.  Surely  no  one  could  take  exception 
to  that;  and  yet  the  Fourth  Citizen,  who  has  heard  only 
the  word  "Brutus,"  bursts  forth  with,  "What  does  he  say 
of  Brutus  ?  "  and  after  he  gets  his  answer,  he  says  again, 
"'Twere  best  he  speak  no  harm  of  Brutus  here."  The 
purpose  of  the  poet  is  quite  plain.  He  desires  to  show  us 
in  these  few  words  the  temper  of  the  mob ;  and  the  speech 
of  Antony  can  never  be  understood  in  its  completeness 
unless  we  study  carefully  the  words  and  actions  of  the 
citizens.  Mark  Antony's  purpose  is  to  affect  the  mob; 
and  unless  we  note  them,  how  can  we  hope  to  understand 
the  speech  ?  At  last  the  Second  Citizen  pleads  for  peace, 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  435 

for  evidently  the  mob  are  very  turbulent,  and  Antony 
begins  again :  "  You  gentle  Romans  "  —  and  there  breaks 
off.  What  does  the  poet  convey  by  this  dash?  The  next 
few  words  tell  us.  Some  citizens  cry,  "Peace,  ho  !  let  us 
hear  him."  Thus  we  see  that  as  Antony  endeavored  to 
speak,  his  voice  was  drowned.  The  mob  are  in  no  mood 
to  listen  to  him,  and  it  is  only  the  fairmindedness  of  a 
few  citizens  that  gets  him  a  hearing  at  all.  There  is  now 
a  lull,  of  which  Mark  Antony  proceeds  to  take  advan- 
tage. He  has  no  time  for  statuesque  posing ;  he  has,  per- 
haps, five  seconds  in  which  to  place  his  whole  case  before 
the  jury.;  he  must  let  them  understand  his  attitude  in  this 
matter,  and  he  states  what  pretends  to  be  his  whole  case  in 
nine  words,  "  I  come  to  bury  Caesar,  not  to  praise  him." 
His  whole  manner  says,  You  need  not  fear  me,  friends  ; 
I  have  nothing  to  say  concerning  Caesar.  Brutus,  the 
noble,  the  patriotic,  the  unselfish,  has  shown  you  that  the 
assassination  of  Caesar  was  justifiable  ;  I  shall  say  nothing 
to  the  contrary.  No  exception  can  be  taken  to  this,  and 
the  mob  now  give  him  their  attention.  He  continues,  — 

"  The  evil  that  men  do  lives  after  them  ; 
The  good  is  oft  interred  with  their  bones. 
So  let  it  be  with  Caesar." 

In  other  words,  I  shall  say  nothing  in  extenuation  of 
Caesar's  course  ;  it  is  enough  that  he  is  dead  ;  let  us  bury 
him  and  forget  him.  The  point  we  must  bear  in  mind  is 
that  the  citizens  at  the  beginning  are  strongly  antagonis- 
tic to  Mark  Antony.  Before  he  can  hope  to  do  anything 
with  them  he  must  first  get  their  attention,  and,  secondly, 
must  relieve  them  of  the  tension  of  antagonism.  They 
have  been  keyed  up  by  the  excitement  of  the  past  few 


486  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

days,  and  none  knows  so  well  as  Antony  to  what  ex- 
tremes such  a  mob  will  go  if  opportunity  is  offered. 
When  we  remember  that  at  the  conclusion  of  Antony's 
speech  the  mob,  made  wild  by  his  words,  were  ready  to 
tear  to  pieces  an  innocent  man  simply  because  he  happened 
to  bear  the  same  name  —  Cinna — Jas  that  of  one  of  the 
conspirators,  we  have  some  idea  of  the  temper  of  that  Ro- 
man horde.  Antony  resumes,  "  The  noble  Brutus  hath 
told  you  Csesar  was  ambitious,"  and  then  virtually  concedes 
that  Brutus  was  right ;  that  there  is  no  palpable  doubt  as 
to  the  justice  of  Brutus'  verdict.  The  emphasis  in  the 
next  line  is  not  upon  "if"  or  "were;"  the  words  are 
almost  slurred,  and  the  tone  and  manner  are  concessive. 
Paraphrased,  it  means,  I  grant  that  he  may  have  been  am- 
bitious, and  such  ambition  was  a  grievous  fault.  And 
here  we  note  the  introduction  of  a  theme  that  forms  one  of 
the  most  striking  melodies  in  this  magnificent  symphony. 
As  was  said  before,  the  mob  are  strongly  antagonistic,  and 
Antony's  endeavor  must  be  to  soften  them.  How  shall  he 
do  it?  He  says,  Caesar  was  ambitious,  but  O  friends,  see 
this  prostrate  form  before  us,  and  tell  me  if  Caesar  has  not 
paid  a  fearful  price  for  his  ambition.  He  does  not  dwell 
too  long  on  that  theme,  but  passes  on  again  to  pay  his 
respects  to  Brutus  and  the  other  conspirators.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  take  in  detail  each  line  of  this  first 
part  of  the  speech,  but  we  must  look  closely  at  one  or  two 
important  features.  Of  course,  after  what  has  been  said, 
it  would  be  needless  to  argue  that  there  is  no  trace  of  sar- 
casm in  the  "honorable  men."  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
Antony  uses  that  term  to  strengthen  his  position.  But 
let  us  note  in  what  connection  this  phrase  is  used.  The 
first  time  Antony  utters  it,  he  is  simply  thanking  the  con- 


EXAMPLES  OF  LITERAEY  ANALYSIS.  437 

spirators,  as  it  were,  for  the  opportunity  of  thus  speaking 
to  the  mob.  The  second  time  he  says,  uHe  was  my 
friend,  faithful  and  just  to  me,"  and  then,  "  But  Brutus 
says  he  was  ambitious."  Now,  the  student  will  remark 
that  each  time  thereafter  the  incongruity  between  Mark 
Antony's  argument  and  the  phrase  "honorable  men"  be- 
comes more  and  more  significant,  until  at  last,  as  we  shall 
see,  even  upon  the  mind  of  this  slow-thinking  mob  there 
dawns  .the  consciousness  of  Antony's  purpose  in  using 
this  phrase.  Let  us  now  note  that  Antony  offers  three  or 
four  arguments  to  disprove  what  Brutus  spoke.  A  very 
important  question  must  here  be  decided,  —  Is  the  manner 
of  Antony  argumentative  ?  Is  there  anything  in  the  text 
that  may  give  us  a  hint  as  to  Antony's  method  ?  I  think 
there  certainly  is.  After  every  assertion  to  prove  that 
Caesar  was  not  at  all  ambitious,  Antony  remarks,  — 


"  But  Brutus  says  he  was  ambitious, 
And  Brutus  is  an  honorable  man." 


It  is  incredible  that  Antony  could  have  asserted  his  argu- 
ments with  great  strength,  and  then  have  followed  them 
immediately  with  this  modifying  idea,  so  to  speak.  And 
then  again,  if  it  be  argued  that  he  utters  the  phrase  "  hon- 
orable men "  in  a  manner  evidently  sarcastic,  the  text 
would  disprove  this  interpretation.  Two  lines  prove  both 
points ;  for  Antony  says,  "  Sure  Brutus  is  an  honorable 
man,"  and  then  says,  "  I  speak  not  to  disprove  what  Bru- 
tus spoke."  It  seems  to  me  that  Antony's  arguments,  for 
arguments  they  surely  are,  and  arguments  which  do  dis- 
prove what  Brutus  spoke,  fall  from  his  lips  as  if  he  were 
thinking  aloud.  He  is  content  to  get  his  evidence  before 


438  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

the  jury  without  any  apparent  effort  to  do  so  —  without 
any  desire  to  insist  strongly  upon  it;  his  evidence  is  so 
concrete  and  tangible  that  he  is  content  to  let  it  sink  into 
the  minds  of  his  audience  of  its  own  weight.  Let  us  also 
observe  that  in  this  first  part  of  the  speech  Antony's 
methods  of  touching  their  hearts  are  clearly  developed. 
He  moves  them  through  pity  for  Caesar,  and  sympathy 
with  himself.  "  Grievously  hath  Caesar  answered  it,"  is 
an  example  of  his  first  method,  and  the  lines  which  close 
the  first  part  of  the  speech  an  example  of  the  second. 
The  noble  Antony  is  so  overcome  by  his  feelings  that  his 
words  choke  him,  and  he  must  turn  aside  until  he  can 
recover  his  self-control. 

Whether  or  not  his  emotions  have  overcome  him  to  the 
extent  that  Antony  manifests,  the  result  of  his  turning 
aside  is  the  same.  It  gives  the  mob  an  opportunity  to 
vent  their  feelings,  and  we  can  rest  assured  that  Antony's 
ear  is  on  the  alert  for  a  hint  which  shall  determine  his 
future  course.  He  has  no  cut-and-dried  speech  as  Brutus 
had ;  he  indulges  in  no  oratorical  flourishes,  no  euphuistic 
graces.  He  has  a  definite  goal  in  view,  and  is  content  to 
reach  it  by  any  route,  however  circuitous,  and  that  route 
is  to  be  determined  for  him  by  his  audience.  It  is  plain 
from  the  conversation  of  the  four  citizens  that  Antony's 
words  have  not  been  without  avail.  There  are  but  two 
speeches,  however,  that  need  particular  notice.  The 
Fourth  Citizen  already  hints  that  there  is  some  doubt  in 
his  mind  as  to  Caesar's  ambition,  and,  "  He  would  not  take 
the  crown,"  says  he ;  "  therefore  'tis  certain  he  was  not 
ambitious."  What  music  is  this  to  the  listening  ears  of 
Antony !  But  more  significant  still  is  the  remark  of  the 
First  Citizen :  "  If  it  be  found  so,  some  will  dear  abide  it." 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  439 

This  is  the  flame  of  mutiny,  and  is  the  second  motive  of 
the  drama. 

And  now  Antony  resumes,  apparently  taking  no  notice 
of  the  speeches  of  the  citizens.  Pity  is  again  his  theme : 
O  friends,  says  he,  only  such  a  short  time  ago  as  yes- 
terday and  Caesar  ruled  the  world  ;  now  not  the  basest 
serf  will  doff  his  cap  in  the  presence  of  his  corpse.  This 
is  a  fine  touch  of  human  nature.  We  clamor  for  the  arrest 
and  execution  of  the  assassin,  but  as  he  goes  to  the  gal- 
lows, only  the  hard-hearted  will  refuse  him  pity.  So  no 
matter  what  Ceesar  had  done,  according  to  Brutus,  this 
appeal  of  Antony  must  go  straight  to  their  hearts.  Then 
a  new  strain :  — 

"  O  masters,  if  I  were  disposed  to  stir 
Your  hearts  and  minds  to  mutiny  and  rage." 

Why  bring  in  these  words  here  ?  What  connection  have 
they  with  the  preceding  lines?  Apparently  none.  It  is 
my  belief  that  they  constitute  one  of  the  most  significant 
examples  of  oratorical  tact  found  in  all  oratory.  The  First 
Citizen  has  remarked,  If  it  be  found  that  Caesar  was  not 
ambitious,  somebody  will  suffer  for  his  murder.  It  would 
not  do  for  Antony  to  let  his  audience  know  that  he  had 
heard  their  remarks ;  and,  therefore,  as  he  resumes  his 
speech  he  appears  to  be  utterly  oblivious  to  them.  But 
the  flame  that  shall  consume  the  entire  conspiracy  has 
been  kindled,  and  Mark  Antony  with  keenest  insight  now 
proceeds  to  fan  it.  "  Some  will  dear  abide  it,"  rings  in 
his  ears  and  brain ;  and  now  he  says,  — 

"  O  masters,  if  I  were  disposed  to  stir 
Your  hearts  and  minds  to  mutiny  and  rage." 


440  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

But  having  kept  the  flame  alive,  he  leaves  this  theme  to 
pay  his  tribute  again  to  the  "  honorable  men."  Then  he 
draws  with  apparent  unconsciousness  a  parchment  from 
the  folds  of  his  toga ;  he  tells  them  it  is  Caesar's  will,  and 
at  once  they  are  all  attention,  craning  their  necks  and 
stretching  out  their  hands  in  mute, appeal.  Mark  Antony 
notes  their  anxiety,  and  then  feeds  it  by  returning  the  will 
to  his  breast,  as  if  he  were  afraid  that  if  he  read  it  he 
might  be  charged  with  an  act  of  incendiarism.  No,  he 
says,  friends,  I  must  not  read  this  will.  Its  contents 
would  excite  you.  If  you  but  knew  how  Caesar  loved 
you,  as  is  shown  by  this  will,  every  hair  of  his  head  would 
be  wet  with  your  tears.  Now  let  us  look  more  closely  at 
Shakespeare's  art.  The  citizens  have  spoken  after  some 
particular  order,  —  first,  second,  third,  fourth ;  first,  third, 
seconds  fourth,  and  so  forth.  No  citizen  has  been  the 
center  of  attention.  Now  look  at  the  Fourth  Citizen. 
From  the  time  that  Antony  draws  out  the  will,  that 
Fourth  Citizen  is  the  only  particular  speaker  among  the 
mob.  He  leads  the  rest,  shouting,  "  Read  the  will,  Mark 
Antony ;  "  but  he,  knowing  full  well  that  delay  will  but 
add  fuel  to  their  passion,  seems  to  put  them  off;  he 
is  compelling  them  to  compel  him  to  read  the  will.  He 
says,  If  I  should  read  this  will  to  you  it  would  make 
you  mad.  And  again  the  Fourth  Citizen  leads  the  shout- 
ing :  "  You  shall  read  us  the  will,  —  Caesar's  will."  And 
again  Antony  says,  "  I  have  o'ershot  myself  to  tell  you  of 
it."  The  next  two  lines  of  the  speech  of  Antony  are 
a  master-stroke  ;  the  term  "  honorable  men  "  is  set  over 
against  the  phrase,  "  Whose  daggers  have  stabbed  Caesar." 
There  is  a  challenge  in  this  collocation ;  there  is  a  chal- 
lenge in  the  bluntness  of  those  words,  "Whose  daggers 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  441 

have  stabbed  Csesar."  The  explosive  consonants  and  the 
harsh,  flat  a's  are  a  challenge.  That  Antony  is  conscious 
of  this  is  clearly  manifest  in  the  last  four  words  of  his 
short  speech,  "I  do  fear  it."  If  the  mob  should  resent 
the  challenge,  he  has  provided  a  way  to  retire  :  "  I  do 
fear  it."  If  not,  his  course  is  clear.  Once  more  the  Fourth 
Citizen  speaks:  "They  were  traitors, — honorable  men," 
and  for  the  first  time  into  this  phrase  is  injected  the  sar- 
castic inflection.  It  is  from  the  lips  of  that  citizen  who  at 
the  beginning  of  the  oration  has  said,  "  It  were  best  he 
speak  no  harm  of  Brutus  here,"  that  we  are  first  to  hear 
the  phrase  "  honorable  men "  used  as  sarcasm.  That  is 
why  Shakespeare  picks  out  this  man,  and  makes  him  the 
central  figure  in  the  scene,  in  order  that  the  effect  of  Mark 
Antony's  speech  may  be  the  more  apparent;  this  is  the 
keystone  of  the  arch  ;  the  turning-point  has  been  reached, 
and  this  turning-point  has  been  made  significant  by  Shake- 
speare's art  in  handling  his  fourth  citizen.  An  impreg- 
nable argument  in  favor  of  this  interpetation,  is  this :  If 
Mark  Antony  has  ever  in  the  course  of  his  speech  uttered 
the  words  "  honorable  men  "  with  sarcastic  inflection,  they 
have  absolutely  no  meaning  in  their  present  connection. 
It  is  because  they  have  been  uttered  as  if  meant,  that  the 
speech  of  the  Fourth  Citizen  now  has  its  force.  The  Second 
Citizen  now  takes  up  the  cry.  Antony  with  apparent  re- 
luctance yields  to  their  demands  to  read  the  will,  and  de- 
scends to  take  his  place  before  the  bier  of  his  murdered 
friend.  We  see,  then,  that  the  anger  of  the  citizens  has 
abated.  Their  antagonism  has  been  at  least  neutralized. 
Antony's  purpose  is  to  remold  the  now  plastic  material 
after  his  own  fashion. 

Instead  of  reading  the  will,  he  adroitly  turns  aside  to 


442  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

remind  the  people  of  their  former  love  and  admiration  of 
Caesar.  This  he  does  by  showing  the  mantle  that  covers 
the  body  of  the  fallen  hero.  "  You  all"  do  know  this 
mantle."  Yes,  many  a  time  they  have  seen  it  infolding 
the  body  of  Caasar,  as  he  has  driven  victoriously  through 
the  streets  of  Rome.  This  touch /is  truly  human.  It  is 
of  the  many  associations  the  mantle  has  for  the  mob  that 
Antony  would  lead  them  to  think.  Then  the  speaker 
reminds  them  of  the  hour  Caesar  first  put  it  on.  And  in 
what  contrast  stands  out  the  picture  of  that  day  with 
its  patriotic  memories,  as  against  the  awful  and  sinister 
solemnity  of  the  present  occasion.  Then  follows  the 
abrupt  change.  Through  that  garment  made  sacred  by 
holiest  memories  uran  Cassius'  dagger."  What  could  be 
more  dramatic  than  this  contrast?  From  now  on  Antony 
seems  to  cast  aside  all  restraint,  as  if  hurried  along  by  the 
intensity  of  his  feelings.  He  is  overcome  by  the  base  in- 
gratitude of  Caesar's  dearest  friend,  and  raises  his  eyes  to 
see  those  of  the  citizens  suffused  with  tears,  and  then, 
with  fine  and  yet  well-concealed  dramatic  effect,  he  tears 
away  the  mantle  from  the  face,  and  discloses  the  features 
of  Caesar,  "marred  by  traitors." 

As  the  people's  gaze  falls  upon  the  face  of  their  former 
idol,  they  vent  their  feelings  in  words  of  tenderest  sympa- 
thy, until  again  we  hear  the  strain  of  mutiny  in  the  speech 
of  the  Second  Citizen.  "  We  will  be  revenged ! "  The 
mob  take  up  the  cry,  shouting :  "  Revenge  !  About,  — 
seek,  —  burn,  —  fire,  —  kill,  —  slay,  —  let  not  a  traitor 
live !"  and  start  to  rush  out.  But  they  are  brought  back 
by  one  word  from  Antony,  whom  but  a  short  while  ago 
they  had  opposed  and  threatened. 

The  average  orator  would  have   let  them  take   theii 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  443 

course.  Not  so  Antony.  He  knows  that  it  is  pure  ex- 
citement that  moves  them ;  and  he  knows,  too,  that  that 
may  die  out  as  quickly  now  as  it  has  done  since  the  speech 
of  Brutus.  There  is  no  reason  in  their  excitement.  They 
have  no  personal  cause  to  avenge  Caesar's  assassination. 
So  Antony  calls  them  back,  knowing  full  well  that  the 
temporary  restraint  will  in  the  end  be  an  added  incentive. 
In  a  manner  entirely  controlled,  he  disavows  all  inten- 
tion of  stirring  them  to  mutiny,  which  disavowal  serves 
only,  he  well  knows,  to  further  stimulate  them  in  that 
direction.  He  passes  quickly  from  the  idea  of  mutiny, 
and  insinuates  the  true  cause  of  the  conspiracy.  It  was 
a  "  private  grief,"  envy  of  Caesar,  not  love  of  the  people, 
that  led  to  his  murder.  We  do  not  like  to  be  led  by 
the  nose  when  we  are  aware  of  it,  and  so  Antony  —  how 
he  knew  human  nature! — tells  the  mob  that  he  has  not 
come  to  steal  away  their  hearts ;  that  he  is  no  orator ;  and 
then  leads  them  back  again  to  the  contemplation  of  Csesar's 
wounds.  What  a  pathos  there  is  in  the  collocation  "sweet 
Csesar's  wounds!"  And  what  art  there  is  in  the  manner 
in  which  the  orator  leads  the  minds  of  his  audience  back 
to  the  theme  of  mutiny :  — 

"But  were  I  Brutus, 

And  Brutus  Antony,  there  were  an  Antony 
Would  ruffle  up  your  spirits,  and  put  a  tongue 
In  every  wound  of  Caesar,  that  should  move 
The  stones  of  Rome  to  rise  and  mutiny  !" 

Again  they  would  rush  off,  but  again  a  word  from 
Antony  quiets  them.  Then  comes  the  master  touch  —  the 
personal  incentive  to  avenge  Caesar.  Antony  implies  that 
the  murder  of  Caesar  was  a  wrong  done  to  the  citizens. 
"Wherein  hath  Caesar  thus  deserved  your  loves?"  He 


444  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

virtually  says,  Caesar  was  your  idol,  your  love,  and  died, 
not  that  Roman  liberty,  your  liberty,  was  endangered,  but 
to  satisfy  a  cursed  envy,  spite,  and  hatred.  And  now 
he  reads  the  will  and  proves  his  case,  which  Brutus  did 
not.  Brutus'  statement  that  Caesar  was  ambitious  was 
unsupported  by  any  argument;  Antony,  by  the  tangible 
evidence  contained  in  the  will,  shows  that  Caesar  loved 
every  Roman  citizen,  and  they  ask  not,  beyond  that, 
whether  he  was  ambitious.  It  is  the  concrete  against  the 
abstract;  the  tangible  against  the  intangible.  But  An- 
tony's fact  is  more  remarkable  for  the  manner  in  which 
it  is  set  forth.  If  he  had  flaunted  the  will  in  their  faces 
at  the  outset,  the  chances  are  they  would  have  snatched 
it  from  his  hand,  and  torn  it  into  a  thousand  pieces.  The 
orator  must  know,  not  only  what  evidence  is  available 
and  appreciable,  but  where  it  should  be  introduced.1 

So  Antony  first  gains  their  attention  by  disclaiming 
all  intention  of  defending  Caesar,  then  insinuates  the  pos- 
sibility of  mistake  on  the  part  of  the  conspirators ;  then 
moves  the  mob  to  sympathy  with  himself  and  with  his 
theme ;  then  excites  their  curiosity  regarding  the  will , 
then  gets  the  mob  to  charge  the  conspirators  with  treason, 
and  so  compel  him  to  read  the  will ;  then  their  antagon- 
ism turns  to  sympathy,  and  now  they  would  turn  their 
anger  against  Brutus  and  his  associates.  They  are  called 
back  by  Antony,  and  then  he  gives  their  emotion  an  addi- 
tional incentive  by  proving  that  Caesar  loved  them  and 

1  My  father's  comments  on  these  orations  [of  Demosthenes]  .  .  .  were  very 
instructive  to  me.  He  ...  pointed  out  the  skill  and  art  of  the  orator —how  every 
thing  important  to  his  purpose  was  said  at  the  exact  moment  when  he  had  brought 
the  minds  of  his  audience  into  the  state  most  fitted  to  receive  it ;  how  he  made 
steal  into  their  minds,  gradually,  and  by  insinuation,  thoughts  which,  if  expressed 
in  a  more  direct  manner,  would  have  roused  their  opposition.  —  JOHN  STUART 
MILL,  Autobiography. 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  445 

had  nothing  but  their  interests  at  heart.  Brutus  excited 
them,  but  gave  them  no  incentive  ;  Antony  moved  them, 
but  gave  a  permanency  to  their  passion  by  putting  back 
of  it  the  consciousness  that  they  had  been  wronged.  No 
argument  could  offset  that,  and  Antony's  victory  was 
won.  And  all  the  time  there  has  been  no  faintest  sign 
that  he  had  any  desire  to  move  them.  They  were  moved 
through  their  own  imaginations,  which  Antony's  art  sent 
back  into  the  past ;  and  when  his  speech  is  done,  there  is 
no  power  can  turn  them  from  their  purpose.  The  con- 
spiracy is  doomed  ;  and  when  the  curtain  falls  upon  the 
last  scene,  Cassius  and  Brutus  lie  dead,  pierced  with  the 
swords  that  slew  Csesar,  and  Octavius  Csesar  sits  upon 
the  throne. 

THE  FORUM  SCENE  —  SHAKESPEARE. 
Enter  BRUTUS  and  CASSIUS,  and  a  throng  of  Citizens. 

CITIZENS.     We  will  be  satisfied  ;  let  us  be  satisfied. 

BKUTUS.     Then  follow  me,  and  give  me  audience,  friends.  — 
Cassius,  go  you  into  the  other  street, 
And  part  the  numbers.  — 

Those  that  will  hear  me  speak,  let  them  stay  here  : 
Those  that  will  follow  Cassius,  go  with  him  ; 
And  public  reasons  shall  be  rendered 
Of  Caesar's  death. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     I  will  hear  Brutus  speak. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     I  will  hear  Cassius;  and  compare  their  reasons, 
When  severally  we  hear  them  rendered. 
[Exit  CASSIUS,  with  some  of  the  Citizens.    BKUTUS  goes  into  the  pulpit.} 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     The  noble  Brutus  is  ascended.     Silence  ! 

BRUTUS.     Be  patient  till  the  last. 

Romans,  countrymen,  and  lovers  !  hear  me  for  my  cause  ;  and  be  silent, 
that  ye  may  hear  :  believe  me  for  mine  honor,  and  have  respect  to  mine 
honor,  that  you  may  believe  :  censure  me  in  your  wisdom,  and  awake 
your  senses,  that  you  may  the  better  judge.  If  there  be  any  in  this 
assembly,  any  dear  friend  of  Caesar's,  to  him  I  say,  that  Brutus'  love  to 
Caesar  was  no  less  than  his.  If  then  that  friend  demand,  why  Brutus 


446  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE 

arose  against  Caesar,  this  is  my  answer,  —  Not  that  I  loved  Caesar  less, 
but  that  I  loved  Rome  more.  Had  you  rather  Caesar  were  living,  and 
die  all  slaves,  than  that  Caesar  were  dead,  to  live  all  free  men  ?  As 
Caesar  loved  me,  I  weep  for  him  ;  as  he  was  fortunate,  I  rejoice  at  it ;  as 
he  was  valiant,  I  honor  him  ;  but,  as  he  was  ambitious,  1  slew  him. 
There  is  tears  for  his  love  ;  joy  for  his  fortune  ;  honor  for  his  valor  ;  and 
death  for  his  ambition.  Who  is  here  so  base,  that  would  be  a  bond- 
man ?  If  any,  speak  ;  for  him  have  I  offended.  Who  is  here  so  rude, 
that  would  not  be  a  Roman  ?  If  any,  speak  ;  for  him  have  I  offended. 
Who  is  here  so  vile,  that  will  not  love  his  country  ?  If  any,  speak  ;  for 
him  have  I  offended.  I  pause  for  a  reply. 

ALL.     Xone,  Brutus,  none. 

BKUTUS.  Then  none  have  I  offended.  I  have  done  no  more  to 
Caesar  than  you  shall  do  to  Brutus.  The  question  of  his  death  is  en- 
rolled in  the  Capitol ;  his  glory  not  extenuated,  wherein  he  was  worthy, 
nor  his  offenses  enforced,  for  which  he  suffered  death. 

Enter  ANTONY  and  others,  with  CAESAR'S  body. 

Here  comes  his  body,  mourned  by  Mark  Antony  :  who  though  he  had 
no  hand  in  his  death,  shall  receive  the  benefit  of  his  dying,  a  place  in 
the  commonwealth  ;  as  which  of  you  shall  not  ?  With  this  I  depart,  — 
that,  as  I  slew  my  best  lover  for  the  good  of  Rome,  I  have  the  same 
dagger  for  myself,  when  it  shall  please  my  country  to  need  my  death. 

ALL.     Live,  Brutus  !  live  !  live  ! 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     Bring  him  with  triumph  home  unto  his  house. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     Give  him  a  statue  with  his  ancestors. 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     Let  him  be  Caesar. 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.  Caesar's  better  parts 

Shall  be  crowned  in  Brutus. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     We'll  bring  him  to  his  house  with  shouts  and 
clamors. 

BRUTUS.     My  countrymen,  — 

SECOND  CITIZEN.  Peace  I  silence  !  Brutus  speaks. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     Peace,  ho  ! 

BRUTUS.     Good  countrymen,  let  me  depart  alone, 
And,  for  my  sake,  stay  here  with  Antony. 
Do  grace  to  Caesar's  corpse,  and  grace  his  speech. 
Tending  to  Caesar's  glories,  which  Mark  Antony, 
By  our  permission,  is  allowed  to  make. 
I  do  entreat  you,  not  a  man  depart, 
Save  I  alone,  till  Antony  have  spoke.  [Exit. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     Stay,  ho  !  and  let  us  hear  Mark  Antony. 


• 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITER  ART  ANALYSIS.  447 

THIRD  CITIZEX.     Let  him  go  up  into  the  public  chair 
We'll  hear  him.  —  Noble  Antony,  go  up. 

ANTONY.     For  Brutus'  sake,  I  am  beholding  to  you. 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     What  does  he  say  of  Brutus  ? 

THIRD  CITIZEX.     He  says  for  Brutus'  sake, 
He  finds  himself  beholding  to  us  all.- 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     'Twere  best  he  speak  no  harm  of  Brutus  here. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     This  Caesar  was  a  tyrant. 

THIRD  CITIZEN.  Nay,  that's  certain  : 

We  are  blessed  that  Rome  is  rid  of  him. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     Peace  !  let  us  hear  what  Antony  can  say. 

ANTONY.     You  gentle  Romans,  — 

CITIZENS.  Peace,  ho!  let  us  hear  him. 

ANTONY.     Friends,  Romans,  countrymen,  lend  me  your  ears  ; 
I  come  to  bury  Caesar,  not  to  praise  him. 
The  evil  that  men  do  lives  after  them  ; 
The  good  is  oft  interred  with  their  bones  ; 
So  let  it  be  with  Csesar.     The  noble  Brutus 
Hath  told  you,  Caesar  was  ambitious  : 
If  it  were  so,  it  was  a  grievous  fault ; 
And  grievously  hath  Caesar  answered  it. 
Here,  under  leave  of  Brutus  and  the  rest,  — 
For  Brutus  is  an  honorable  man, 
So  are  they  all,  all  honorable  men,  — 
Come  I  to  speak  in  Caesar's  funeral. 
He  was  my  friend,  faithful  and  just  to  me  : 
But  Brutus  says,  he  was  ambitious ; 
And  Brutus  is  an  honorable  man. 
He  hath  brought  many  captives  home  to  Rome, 
Whose  ransoms  did  the  general  coffers  fill : 
Did  this  in  Caesar  seem  ambitious  ? 
When  that  the  poor  have  cried,  Caesar  hath  wept ; 
Ambition  should  be  made  of  sterner  stuff  : 
Yet  Brutus  says  he  was  ambitious  ; 
And  Brutus  is  an  honorable  man. 
You  all  did  see,  that  on  the  Lupercal 
I  thrice  presented  him  a  kingly  crown, 
Which  he  did  thrice  refuse  :  was  this  ambition  ? 
Yet  Brutus  says,  he  was  ambitious  ; 
And,  sure,  he  is  an  honorable  man. 
I  speak  not  to  disprove  what  Brutus  spoke, 


448  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

But  here  I  am  to  speak  what  I  do  know. 

You  all  did  love  him  once,  — not  without  cause  . 

What  cause  withholds  you  then  to  mourn  for  him  ? 

0  judgment,  thou  art  fled  to  brutish  beasts, 

And  men  have  lost  their  reason  !  —  Bear  with  me  ; 
My  heart  is  in  the  coffin  there  with  Caesar, 
And  I  must  pause  till  it  come  back  to  me. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     Methinks  there  is  much  reason  in  his  sayings. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     If  thou  consider  rightly  of  the  matter, 
Caesar  has  had  great  wrong. 

THIRD  CITIZEN.  Has  he,  masters  ? 

1  fear,  there  will  a  worse  come  in  his  place. 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     Marked  ye  his  words?     He  would  not  take  the 

crown  : 
Therefore  'tis  certain  he  was  not  ambitious. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     If  it  be  found  so,  some  will  dear  abide  it. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     Poor  soul,  his  eyes  are  red  as  fire  with  weeping. 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     There's  not  a  nobler  man  in  Rome  than  Antony. 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     Now  mark  him;  he  begins  again  to  speak. 

ANTONY.     But  yesterday  the  word  of  Caesar  might 
Have  stood  against  the  world:  now  lies  he  there, 
And  none  so  poor  to  do  him  reverence. 

0  masters,  if  I  were  disposed  to  stir 

Your  hearts  and  minds  to  mutiny  and  rage, 

1  should  do  Brutus  wrong,  and  Cassius  wrong, 
Who,  you  all  know  are  honorable  men. 

I  will  not  do  them  wrong  ;  I  rather  choose 

To  wrong  the  dead,  to  wrong  myself,  and  you, 

Than  I  will  wrong  such  honorable  men. 

But  here's  a  parchment,  with  the  seal  of  Caesar  ;  — 

I  found  it  in  his  closet,  —  'tis  his  will. 

Let  but  the  commons  hear  this  testament,  — 

Which,  pardon  me,  I  do  not  mean  to  read,  — 

And  they  would  go  and  kiss  dead  Caesar's  wounds, 

And  dip  their  napkins  in  his  sacred  blood  ; 

Yea,  beg  a  hair  of  him  for  memory, 

And,  dying,  mention  it  within  their  wills, 

Bequeathing  it,  as  a  rich  legacy, 

Unto  their  issue. 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     We'll  bear  the  will  :  read  it,  Mark  Antony. 

ALL.     The  will,  the  will!  we  will  hear  Caesar's  will. 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY  ANALYSIS.  449 

ANTONY.     Have  patience,  gentle  friends,  I  must  not  read  it , 
It  is  not  meet  you  know  how  Caesar  loved  you. 
You  are  not  wood,  you  are  not  stones,  but  men  , 
And,  being  men,  hearing  the  will  of  Caesar, 
It  will  inflame  you,  it  will  make  you  mad. 
'Tis  good  you  know  not  that  you  are  his  heirs  ; 
For  if  you  should,  O,  what  would  come  of  it  ! 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     Read  the  will  !  we'll  hear  it,  Antony  , 
You  shall  read  us  the  will,  —  Caesar's  will. 

ANTONY.     Will  you  be  patient  ?  will  you  stay  awhile  ? 
I  have  o'ershot  myself  to  tell  you  of  it. 
I  fear  I  wrong  the  honorable  men 
Whose  daggers  have  stabbed  Caesar  ;  I  do  fear  it. 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     They  were  traitors  :  —  honorable  men  ! 

ALL.     The  will  !  the  testament  ! 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     They  were  vilfains,  murderers  :  The  will  !  read 
the  will  ! 

ANTONY.     You  will  compel  me,  then,  to  read  the  will  ? 
Then  make  a  ring  about  the  corpse  of  Caesar, 
And  let  me  show  you  him  that  made  the  will. 
Shall  I  descend  ?  and  will  you  give  me  leave  ? 

ALL.     Come  down. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     Descend. 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     You  shall  have  leave.  [He  comes  down. 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     A  ring  ;  stand  round. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     Stand  from  the  hearse,  stand  from  the  body. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     Room  for  Antony,  —  most  noble  Antony. 

ANTONY.     Nay,  press  not  so  upon  me  ;  stand  far  off. 

CITIZENS.     Stand  back  !  room  !  bear  back  ! 

ANTOXY.     If  you  have  tears,  prepare  to  shed  them  now. 
You  all  do  know  this  mantle  :  I  remember 
The  first  time  ever  Caesar  put  it  on  ; 
'Twas  on  a  summer's  evening,  in  his  tent, 
That  day  he  overcame  the  Nervii  : 
Look,  in  this  place  ran  Cassius'  dagger  through  : 
See,  what  a  rent  the  envious  Casca  made  : 
Through  this,  the  well-beloved  Brutus  stabbed  ; 
And,  as  he  plucked  his  cursed  steel  away, 
Mark  how  the  blood  of  Caesar  followed  it 
As  rushing  out  of  doors,  to  be  resolved 
If  Brutus  so  unkindly  knocked,  or  no  ; 


450  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

For  Brutus,  as  you  know,  was  Caesar's  angel  : 

Judge,  O  you  gods,  how  dearly  Caesar  loved  him  ! 

This  was  the  most  unkindest  cut  of  all ; 

For  when  the  noble  Caesar  saw  him  stab, 

Ingratitude,  more  strong  than  traitors'  arms, 

Quite  vanquished  him  :  then  burst  his  mighty(  heart  ? 

And  in  his  mantle  muffling  up  his  face, 

Even  at  the  base  of  Pompey's  statua, 

Which  all  the  while  ran  blood,  great  Caesar  fell. 

O,  what  a  fall  was  there  my  countrymen ! 

Then  I,  and  you,  and  all  of  us  fell  down, 

Whilst  bloody  treason  nourished  over  us.  — 

O,  now  you  weep  ;  and,  I  perceive,  you  feel 

The  dint  of  pity  :  these  are  gracious  drops. 

Kind  souls,  what,  weep  you,  when  you  but  behold 

Our  Caesar's  vesture  wounded  ?  *Look  you  here. 

Here  is  himself,  marred,  as  you  see,  with  traitors. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     O  piteous  spectacle  ! 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     O  noble  Caesar  ! 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     O  woful  day  ! 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     O  traitors  !  villains  ! 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     O  most  bloody  sight ! 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     We  will  be  revenged. 

CITIZENS.     Revenge  !  about,  —  seek,  —  burn,  —  fire,  —  kill,  —  slay, 
—  let  not  a  traitor  live  ! 

ANTONY.     Stay,  countrymen. 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     Peace,  there  !    Hear  the  noble  Antony. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     We'll  hear  him,  we'll  follow  him,  we'll  die  with 
him. 

ANTONY.     Good  friends,  sweet  friends,  let  me  not  stir  you  up 
To  such  a  sudden  flood  of  mutiny. 
They  that  have  done  this  deed  are  honorable  :  — 
What  private  griefs  they  have,  alas,  I  know  not, 
That  made  them  do  it  :  —  they  are  wise  and  honorable. 
And  will,  no  doubt,  with  reasons  answer  you. 
I  come  not,  friends,  to  steal  away  your  hearts  : 
I  am  no  orator,  as  Brutus  is  ; 
But,  as  you  know  me  all,  a  plain  blunt  man, 
That  love  my  friend  ;  and  that  they  know  full  well 
That  gave  me  public  leave  to  speak  of  him. 
For  I  have  neither  wit,  nor  words,  nor  worth, 


EXAMPLES   OF  LITERARY   ANALYSIS.  451 

Action,  nor  utterance,  nor  the  power  of  speech, 

To  stir  men's  hlood  :  1  only  speak  right  on  , 

I  tell  you  that  which  you  yourselves  do  know; 

Show  you  sweet  Caesar's  wounds,  poor  poor  dumb  mouths, 

And  bid  them  speak  for  me  :  but  were  I  Brutus, 

And  Brutus  Antony,  there  were  an  Antony 

Would  ruffle  up  your  spirits,  and  put  a  tongue 

In  every  wound  of  Caesar,  that  should  move 

The  stones  of  Rome  to  rise  and  mutiny. 

CITIZENS.     We'll  mutiny  ! 

FIRST  CITIZEN.  We'll  burn  the  house  of  Brutus! 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     Away,  then  !  come,  seek  the  conspirators. 

ANTONY.     Yet  hear  me,  countrymen  ;  yet  hear  me  speak. 

CITIZENS.     Peace,  ho  !    Hear  Antony,  —  most  noble  Antony. 

ANTONY.     Why  friends,  you  go  to  do  you  know  not  what. 
Wherein  hath  Caesar  thus  deserved  your  loves  ? 
Alas,  you  know  not,  —  I  must  tell  you,  then  :  — 
You  have  forgot  the  will  I  told  you  of. 

CITIZENS.     Most  true  ;  —  the  will  :  — let's  stay  and  hear  the  will. 

ANTONY.     Here  is  the  will,  and  under  Caesar's  seal  :  — 
To  every  Roman  citizen  he  gives, 
To  every  several  man,  seventy-five  drachmas. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     Most  noble  Caesar  ! —  we'll  revenge  his  death 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     O,  royal  Caesar  ! 

ANTONY.    Hear  me  with  patience. 

CITIZENS.     Peace,  ho  ! 

ANTONY.     Moreover,  lie  hath  left  you  all  his  walks, 
His  private  arbors,  and  new-planted  orchards, 
On  this  side  Tiber  :  he  hath  left  them  you, 
And  to  your  heirs  for  ever,  —  common  pleasures, 
To  walk  abroad,  and  recreate  yourselves. 
Here  was  a  Caesar  !  when  comes  such  another  ? 

FIRST  CITIZEN.     Never,  never  !  —  Come,  away,  away  ! 
We'll  burn  his  body  in  the  holy  place, 
And  with  the  brands  fire  the  traitors'  houses. 
Take  up  the  body. 

SECOND  CITIZEN.     Go,  fetch  fire  ! 

THIRD  CITIZEN.     Pluck  down  benches  ! 

FOURTH  CITIZEN.     Pluck  down  forms,  windows,  anything  I 

[Exeunt  Citizens,  with  the  body. 

ANTONY.     Now  let  it  work  :  —  mischief,  thou  art  afoot, 
Take  thou  what  course  thou  wilt  ! 


CHAPTER   XV. 

DESCRIPTIVE    GESTURE. 

IT  is  not  the  purpose  in  this  work  to  treat  of  gesture ; 
but  one  phase  of  this  subject  is  of  so  great  importance 
that  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to  devote  a  chapter  to 
it,  especially  as  this  aspect  has  never  been  treated  at  length 
in  any  work  known  to  the  author.  It  is  understood,  of 
course,  that  all  gestures  describe;  but  the  term  Descrip- 
tive Gesture,  as  used  in  this  discussion,  is  intended  to  ap- 
ply only  to  such  action  as  accompanies  description.  For 
example,  if  one  should  raise  his  arm  over  the  head  while 
reading  the  line,  "  The  soldier  raised  his  arm  aloft  and 
shouted  vociferously,"  such  action  would  be  called  de- 
scriptive gesture. 

Everybody  has  noted  the  ins  tine*  tive  tendency  to  de- 
scriptive gesture  in  children.  Nearly  every  piece  of  de- 
scription is  acted  out,  and  this  habit  follows  us  up  to  and 
through  adult  life.  But  the  question  for  the  artist  is, 
When  shall  he  use  it  ?  Certainly  he  can  claim  that  he  has 
seen  descriptive  gesture  in  actual  experience,  and  henc.e 
that  he  is  artistic  in  using  it  in  his  reading ;  but  is  there 
any  principle  that  will  assist  him  to  choose  among  the 
many  possibilities  ?  It  is  hoped  to  answer  that  question 
in  this  chapter. 

Starting  with  the  child,  let  us  note  first  that  he  often 
accompanies  his  descriptive  gesture  with  such  words  as, 

452 


DESCRIPTIVE   GESTURE,  453 

"  like  this."  For  instance,  he  says,  "  I  saw  a  woman 
scrubbing  like  this  ;"  and  he  acts  out  the  scrubbing.  This 
aspect  need  not  to  be  dwelt  upon,  but  the  student  must  .be 
careful  to  keep  this  feature  of  the  subject  in  mind.  Sec- 
ondly, the  child  quite  often  u'ses  descriptive  gesture  with- 
out the  "like  this."  Now,  why?  Because  there  is  in 
all  of  us  a  tendency,  under  certain  conditions,  to  become 
what  we  describe,  so  to  speak.  Of  these  conditions  the 
most  important  is  a  state  of  great  interest  in  the  object  or 
objects  described,  an  interest  that  at  times  leads  to  intense 
emotion.  In  childhood  we  are  every  day  meeting  many 
new  experiences  that  hold  our  attention  and  often  move 
us  greatly.  When  we  describe  these  experiences  the  ten- 
dency to  act  them  out  is  almost  irresistible,  and  then 
comes  the  descriptive  gesture.  The  child  says,  "  O 
mamma,  I  saw  a  horse  running  away ;"  and  he  runs  as  fast 
as  he  can.  Or,  "I  saw  an  elephant  in  the  park;"  and  he 
gets  down  on  all  fours,  and,  swaying  his  head  and  body 
from  side  to  side,  shows  us  unconsciously  that  he  has 
become  the  elephant.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  this 
action  is  unconscious ;  the  child,  unless  asked  to  show  how 
the  horse  ran,  is  so  stimulated  by  the  sight  that  he  does 
not  imitate  the  horse,  he  becomes  the  horse.  Further,  he 
is  not  animated  by  all  the  attributes  of  the  horse  (for  he 
runs  on  two  feet,  not  four),  but  by  that  particular  attri- 
bute of  the  animal  which  has  most  stimulated  his  imagi- 
nation, i.e.,  speed;  in  the  case  of  the  elephant,  ponderous- 
ness. 

Now  see  what  happens  after  these  experiences  become 
trite  and  familiar.  Does  the  child  continue  to  act  them 
out?  As  a  rule,  not.  They  cease  to  stimulate  as  they 
did  at  first;  and  the  descriptive  gesture  is  (1)  entirely 


454  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

eliminated,  or  (2)  reduced  to  a  minimum,  or  (3)  super- 
seded by  manifestive  gesture,  or  (4)  is  replaced  by  a 
combination  of  descriptive  and  manifestive  gesture.  Let 
us  examine  each  of  these  possibilities. 

First.  We  ask  the  child  what  he1  saw  ;  and  he  answers, 
"  I  saw  a  long  procession,  and  after  it  passed  one  of  the 
horses  ran  away."  If  the  running  away  has  been  of  fre- 
quent occurrence,  or,  let  us  say,  the  child  is  busy  with  his 
toys  when  he  makes  the  remark,  we  can  easily  perceive 
that  there  will  be  no  gesture. 

Second.  If  the  child  is  nine  or  ten  years  of  age  he 
may,  in  uttering  the  same  words,  simply  use  a  rapid 
sweeping  movement  of  the  arm.  In  this  case  the  gesture 
is  more  of  a  suggestive  action  and  less  realistic.  The 
details  have  disappeared.  This  is  a  sympathetic  gesture. 

Third.  But  suppose  the  runaway  killed  a  man,  and 
the  child  was  horrified  at  the  sight.  In  telling  of  the 
accident  the  child  may  put  his  hands  to  his  eyes,  as  if  to 
shut  out  the  sight,  or  make  some  other  gesture  equally 
expressive  of  the  impression  the  sight  has  made  upon  him. 
This  is  the  manifestive  gesture. 

Fourth.  He  may  make  a  sympathetic  gesture  of  the 
arm,  and  accompany  it  by  a  turning  of  the  head  in  the 
opposite  direction,  with  a  look  of  pain  or  loathing  upon 
the  face.  There  are  other  possibilities  of  course,  such  as 
moving  the  arm  slowly,  with  a  similar  look  upon  the  face. 
In  the  former  case  the  arm  moves  in  sympathy  with  the 
quick  action  of  the  horse,  and  the  attitude  and  expression 
of  the  face  manifest  the  child's  feeling.  In  the  latter 
instance  the  arm  moves  in  sympathy  with  the  progress  of 
the  animal,  moves  slowly  as  manifesting  the  awe  or  horror 
of  the  occasion,  and  the  head  turns  for  some  such  reason 


DESCRIPTIVE  GESTURE.  455 

as  that  above  given.  This  form  of  action  may  be  called 
the  manifestive-sympathetic  gesture. 

When  we  become  older,  the  tendency  to  make  literal 
descriptive  gestures  grows  less  and  less.  We  now  make 
fewer  gestures,  and  those  are  of  the  other  kinds.  It  may 
be  well  to  repeat  here  that  we  are  not  discussing  gestures 
in  general,  but  only  those  that  accompany  description. 

There  is,  however,  a  certain  class  of  literal  descriptive 
gestures  that  are  frequently  met  with.  If  we  are  describ- 
ing an  object  of  peculiar  shape,  which  shape  it  is  of  great 
consequence  the  audience  shall  bear  in  mind,  or  if  it  is  of 
vital  importance  that  the  audience  shall  remember  certain 
dimensions,  then  we  note  the  tendency  to  act  out  such 
description  literally.  This  may  be  called  the  gesture  of 
definition. 

Another  kind  of  imitative  gesture  is  made  when  one 
desires  to  impress  auditors  with  height,  depth,  extent,  or 
position,  where  such  are  necessary  to  a  complete  under- 
standing of  the  story.  For  instance,  under  such  circum- 
stances it  is  found  that  a  speaker  uses  gestures  to  indicate 
the  relative  position  of  a  person  with  regard  to  others.  In 
this  sentence,  "  The  fellow  stood  with  his  back  to  the 
wall ;  Fred  was  on  his  right,  Charles  on  his  left,  and  the 
other  soldiers  were  in  front,"  one  often  finds,  I  say,  a 
speaker  indicating  right,  left,  and  front.  The  gestures, 
translated  into  words,  mean,  There  was  a  foe  on  the 
right,  another  on  the  left,  and  all  hope  of  escape  was  cut 
off  effectually  by  the  others  massed  in  front.  We  may 
safely  assert  that  the  gestures  are  not  made  to  show  which 
direction  is  right  and  which  left,  but  to  indicate  the  fact 
that  the  man  was  completely  hemmed  in.  I  would  sug- 
gest that  this  gesture  be  called  the  gesture  of  stage 
setting. 


456  MENTAL   TECHNIQUE. 

We  have  thus  far  been  considering  the  descriptive  ges- 
ture as  we  find  it  in  nature.  Let  us  now  turn  to  the  art 
side.  We  may  preface  our  study  of  this  aspect  by  saying 
that,  as  a  rule,  descriptive  gestures  are  greatly  overdone. 
Most  readers  are  prone  to  act  out  all,  descriptions  without 
regard  to  the  laws  of  Principality  and  Subordination.  The 
result  is  a  complete  obscuring  of  the  central  idea.  It  is 
often  argued,  as  has  been  already  stated  in  another  con- 
nection, that  such  procedure  is  necessary  in  order  that 
the  audience  may  get  the  picture  or  idea.  Just  here  lies 
the  reason  we  should  not  act  out  the  description.  If  we 
act  out  every  description,  we  act  out  none.  In  fact,  it 
were  better  not  to  make  a  gesture  at  all,  for  too  much 
gesture  is  misleading  and  confusing. 

Another  argument  for  the  plenitude  of  descriptive  ges- 
turing is  that  the  speaker  gesticulated  as  he  felt.  I  have 
observed  many  orators,  speaking  extempore  or  memoriter, 
and  have  noted  this  tendency  to  overact  description. 
After  studying  the  matter  carefully,  and  after  conversation 
with  many  of  these  speakers,  I  have  come  to  believe  that 
the  cause  of  this  overdoing  is  that  the  speaker  loses  sight 
of  the  whole  in  the  part.  His  imagination  is  too  easily 
stimulated,  very  much  like  the  young  child  who  acts  out 
all  his  experiences.  By  constantly  yielding  to  these  im- 
pulses, the  habit  of  acting  out  every  description  regardless 
of  proportions  is  formed,  and  so  the  speaker  at  last  incor- 
porates these  gestures  as  an  important  feature  of  his 
expression.  I  need  hardly  remind  the  student  that  the 
objections  do  not  lie  against  descriptive  gestures  as  such, 
but  against  their  indiscriminate  use. 

The  first  question,  then,  for  the  reciter  to  ask  himself  is 
not,  Can  I  make  a  gesture  here  ?  but,  May  I  ?  Not,  Can  I 


DESCRIPTIVE  GESTURE.  457 

act  out  this  description  ?  but,  Ought  I  ?  In  a  word,  never 
make  a  descriptive  gesture  of  any  kind  if  it  can  just  as 
well  be  omitted. 

In  the  second  place,  if  it  is  decided  that  the  descrip- 
tive gesture  is  necessary,  let  the  student  determine  what 
kind.  It  is  not  always  easy  to  arrive  at  a  satisfactory 
conclusion,  but  what  has  been  said  in  the  preceding  part 
of  this  chapter  of  various  aspects  of  descriptive  gesture 
will  be  of  much  value  in  settling  the  question. 

In  the  third  place,  the  student  must  be  warned  against 
confusion  of  tenses.  Remember,  he  is  speaking  to  an 
audience,  and  speaking  now.  But  it  sometimes  happens 
that  the  past  becomes  so  vivid  that  the  reader  actually 
makes  a  sympathetic  or  a  manifestive-sympathetic  ges- 
ture. This  is  perfectly  proper  at  times  as  showing  how 
intensely  interested  he  is  in  his  narrative.  Here  we  must 
make  an  important  observation.  If  the  description  is 
more  than  a  sentence  or  two,  in  real  life  we  pass  alter- 
nately from  a  contemplation  of  the  object  described  to  the 
audience.  Not  once  in  a  hundred  times  does  one  in  actual 
experience  become  so  engrossed  in  describing  the  past 
that  he  uses  the  sympathetic  gesture  without  regard  to 
the  audience.  Whenever  it  is  done,  it  has  a  stagey  effect. 
Therefore  the  simple  device  of  accompanying  the  gesture 
with  an  occasional  look  at  the  audience  gives  the  rendi- 
tion an  appearance  of  truth.  It  must  be  noted  that 
sometimes  the  description  is  in  the  historical  present. 
Under  such  circumstances,  when  the  descriptive  gesture 
is  not  inappropriate  for  some  of  the  reasons  previously 
given,  it  is  natural  to  make  such  gesture  without  looking 
directly  at  the  audience.  For  instance,  the  sympathetic 
gesture  is  justifiable  in  describing  the  conclusion  of  Ben 


458  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Hur's  Chariot  Race.  But  it  is  ridiculous  to  pretend 
that  the  race  is  so  vivid,  and  that  one  regards  it  so  atten- 
tively, that  he  forgets  his  audience.  The  difference  is 
apparently  small ;  but  it  is  the  difference  between  art  and 
mechanics,  nature  and  affectation.  The  same  criticism  ap- 
plies to  those  who  pretend  they  are  completely  engrossed 
with  the  picture  described  in  the  following  lines  from 
Aux  Italiens  :  — 

"  And  I  turned  and  looked  :  she  was  sitting  there 

In  a  dim  box  over  the  stage  ;  and  dress'd 
In  that  muslin  dress,  with  that  full  soft  hair, 
And  the  jasmine  on  her  breast." 

It  is  true  one  might  be  justified  in  pretending  to  see  the 
early  love ;  but  the  student  should  note  the  naturalness  of 
turning  occasionally  to  the  audience  in  the  course  of  read- 
ing the  last  two  lines. 

In  the  fourth  place,  emotion  tends  to  destroy  detail. 
Suppose  we  are  in  the  midst  of  a  highly  wrought  descrip- 
tion of  a  battle,  and  we  come  to  the  words,  "  Having 
exhausted  his  ammunition,  the  brave  fellow  grasped  the 
barrel  of  the  gun  with  both  hands,  and,  waving  the  butt 
over  his  head,  brought  it  down  with  crushing  force  upon 
the  head  of  his  adversary."  Can  you  not  feel  the  fin- 
gers close  around  the  imaginary  gun  ?  Do  you  not  feel  the 
impulse  to  raise  the  arms  and  to  bring  them  down  with 
energy  ?  But  let  us  remark  that  we  do  not  hold  the 
fingers  as  if  they  held  a  gun-barrel ;  they  are  clinched. 
We  do  not  wave  the  arms  three  or  four  times  around  the 
head,  but  simply  bring  them  back  over  the  head  as  if  pre- 
paring to  strike  with  the  gun.  And  finally,  we  do  not 
stop  the  arms  when  the  gun  strikes  the  imaginary  foe,  but 
continue  until  we  reach  the  full  extent  of  our  blow.  The 


DESCRIPTIVE   GESTURE.  459 

gestures  are  instinctive,  and  grow  out  of  our  sympathy 
with  the  feelings  and  actions  of  the  character  described. 
These  gestures  are  not  imitative,  but  the  manifestation  of 
a  well-known  psychological  law  by  which  in  intense  emo- 
tional description  we  become  what  we  describe.  Remem- 
ber, the  sympathetic  gesture  is  justified  by  emotion.  It 
would  be  consistent  to  clinch  the  hand  and  strike  out  if 
one  were  reading  such  a  passage  as,  "  He  struck  the  fel- 
low a  fearful  blow  with  his  fist ;  "  but  if  for  the  "  a  fear- 
ful blow  "  we  substitute  "  six  fearful  blows,"  it  would  be 
ridiculous  to  make  six  gestures.  And  why?  (And  here  is 
the  kernel  of  the  matter.)  Because  to  strike  six  blows  re- 
quires one  to  count  six ,  and  that  is  a  cool  mental  condi- 
tion, directly  contradicting  the  gesture  of  sympathy  which, 
as  before  stated,  grows  out  of  emotion. 

Fifthly,  we  must  discriminate  between  pantomime  and 
gesture  accompanying  words.  In  the  former  it  is  often 
necessary  to  go  into  detail  in  order  to  present  the  picture ; 
but  in  the  latter  the  verbal  expression  in  most  cases  is 
sufficient.  For  example,  in  the  last  illustration,  if  we 
were  dumb  we  might  indicate  in  gesture  the  fact  that 
there  were  six  blows ;  but  whether  there  were  one,  two, 
six,  or  ten,  makes  no  particular  difference.  What  moves 
us  is  the  fact  that  the  person  struck  blows,  and  it  is  that 
fact  alone  that  our  gesture  expresses.  Let  the  student 
practice  a  passage  first  in  pantomime,  and  then  in  the 
usual  manner,  and  he  will  soon  discern  how  the  detail  of 
the  former  is  eliminated  in  the  latter. 

Sixthly,  in  farce  and  humor  the  effect  is  often  created 
by  reversing  all  the  principles  herein  laid  down.  In  fact, 
certain  phases  of  humor  are  based  upon  the  very  exaggera- 
tion and  reversal  of  natural  laws. 


460  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  better  way  to  inculcate  the  lessons 
of  this  chapter  than  by  the  study  of  examples ;  and  we 
shall  close  our  discussion  of  this  very  important  feature  of 
expression  by  a  study  of  the  following  selections  :  — 

STUDY  I. 

"  And  when  once  more  within  Palermo's  wall, 
And  seated  on  the  throne  in  his  great  hall, 
He  heard  the  Angelus  from  convent  towers, 
As  if  the  better  world  conversed  with  ours, 
He  beckoned1  to  King  Robert  to  draw  Higher, 
And  with  a  gesture  bade  the  rest  retire  2 
And  when  they  were  alone,  the  Angel  said, 
'Art  thou  the  King  ?  '     Then,  bowing  down  his  head. 
King  Robert  crossed  both  hands  upon  his  breast,3 
And  meekly  answered  him :  '  Thou  knowest  best ! 
My  sins  as  scarlet  are;  let  me  go  hence, 
And  in  some  cloister's  school  of  penitence. 
Across  those  stones  that  pave  the  way  to  heaven, 
Walk  barefoot  till  my  guilty  soul  be  shriven.' 

The  Angel  smiled,*  and  from  his  radiant  face 

A  holy  light  illumined  all  the  place, 

And  through  the  open  window,  loud  and  clear, 

They  heard  5  the  monks  chant  in  the  chapel  near, 

Above  the  stir  and  tumult  of  the  street  : 

'  He  has  put  down  the  mighty  from  their  seat, 

And  has  exalted  them  of  low  degree  ! ' 

And  through  the  chant  a  second  melody 

Rose  like  the  throbbing  of  a  single  string  : 

'  I  am  an  Angel  and  thou  art  the  King  ! ' " 

1.  A  gesture  here  is  useless.    How  he  beckoned  is  of  no  consequence; 
and  every  useless  gesture  is  inartistic,  because  it  takes  away  from  the 
effect  of  appropriate  gesture. 

2.  Same  principle  as  1.    The  two  lines  are  simply  a  preparation  for 
what  is  to  follow,  and  should  not  hold  the  attention  of  the  audience  to 
any  extent. 

3.  Here  we  come  to  a  very  interesting  and  typical  example  of  man- 
ifestive-sympathetic  gesture.    The  head  certainly  does  bow,  and  we  feel 
the  impulse  to  cross  the  hands  ;  but  this  is  not  in  imitation  of  King 
Robert,  but  is  an  expression  of  our  sympathy  with  the  King's  fearful 
sufferings. 


DESCRIPTIVE  GESTURE.  461 

Again,  we  note  that  if  the  head  were  to  sink  down  upon  the  chest 
as  we  read,  "bowing  down  his  head,"  we  should  be  in  a  very  awkward 
and  unnatural  position  until  we  come  to  the  words  of  Robert.  We  are 
talking  to  an  audience,  and  the  consciousness  that  there  are  words  to  fol- 
low prevents  the  head  from  sinking  to  the  extent  that  King  Robert's 
probably  did.  Problems  like  this  have  been  great  stumbling-blocks 
for  the  student,  and  it  is  therefore  hoped  he  will  study  this  illustration 
very  carefully. 

Further,  it  is  probable,  if  we  are  genuinely  sympathetic,  that  the 
bowing  of  the  head  and  the  crossing  of  the  hands  will  be  simultaneous, 
not  consecutive.  Let  us  not  be  slaves  to  the  rule  that  so  often  binds  us 
by  telling  us  that  the  gesture  must  accompany  the  words.  In  this  case 
the  crossing  unquestionably  precedes  the  words.  Keep  the  picture 
clearly  before  you,  and  thus  test  what  has  been  said. 

There  is  yet  another  practical  question  in  this  connection  :  Shall 
we  wait  until  we  come  to  the  King's  words  before  we  make  the  ges- 
tures ?  If  we  observe  human  nature  about  us,  we  shall  find,  I  think, 
that  the  sympathetic  gesture  accompanies  the  description.  So  in  art  it 
must  do  the  same.  To  do  otherwise  in  this  particular  case  looks  very 
much  like  "putting  on."  I  should  also  say  that  it  would  be  improper 
to  keep  this  attitude  to  the  end.  of  the  speech.  The  voice,  when  we 
are  not  hampered  by  hard-and-fast  lines,  will  certainly  cease  to  repre- 
sent King  Robert's  tones  literally  after  the  first  half-dozen  words  ;  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  will  manifest  our  own  tender,  pathetic  joy,  as  we 
contemplate  the  salvation  of  the  King.  And  this  feeling  will  cause 
the  mere  attitude  of  Robert  to  cease  to  influence  us  ;  and  so  there  passes 
away  the  literal  action,  tones,  and  quality. 

4.  The  smile  that  appears  on  our  face  is  not  imitative  but  mani- 
festive.     It  manifests  the  joy  we  feel  over  the  repentant  sinner.     It  is 
necessary  to  grasp  this  point  clearly,  for  there  is  much  confusion  on 
this  subject. 

5.  I  have  seen  reciters  put  their  hands  to  their  ears  to  hear,  when 
they  came  to  this  word.     This  is  similar  to  those  who  always  shade 
their  eyes  when  reading  such  lines  as,  "I  saw  a  figure  in  the  distance," 
regardless  whether  the  light  was  in  their  eyes  or  at  their  backs.     Hoio 
they  heard  is  of  no  consequence;  it  is  what  they  heard  and  what  it 
meant  that  interest  the  audience. 

STUDY  II. 

"  King  Robert,  who  was  standing  near  the  throne, 
Lifted  his  eyes,  and  lo!  he  was  alone! 


462  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

But  all  appareled  as  in  days  of  old, 

With  ermined  mantle  and  with  cloth  of  gold ; 

And  when  his  courtiers  came,  they  found  him  there, 

Kneeling  upon  the  floor,  absorbed  in  silent  prayer."  6 

C.  I  know  of  a  reader  who  knelt  here.  *  Of  course  he  is  an  excep- 
tion; but  I  should  like  to  remind  the  student  that  to  kneel  here  is  no 
worse  in  kind  than  hundreds  of  us  do  under  approximately  the  same 
conditions,  only  in  this  case  the  ridiculousness  is  more  perceptible. 

"  So  said  he,  and  his  voice  released  the  heart 
Of  Rustum,  and  his  tears  broke  forth ;  he  cast 
His  arms  around  his  son's  neck,  and  wept  aloud, 
And  kiss'd  him.7    And  awe  fell  on  both  the  hosts, 
When  they  saw  Rustum's  grief;  and  Ruksh,  the  horse, 
With  his  head  bowing  to  the  ground  and  mane 
Sweeping  the  dust,  came  near,  and  in  mute  woe 
First  to  the  one  then  to  the  other  moved 
His  head,*  as  if  inquiring  what  their  grief 
Might  mean ;  and  from  his  dark,  compassionate  eyes, 
The  big  warm  tears  roll'd  down,  and  caked  the  sand." 

7,  8.  Let  us  manifest  our  feelings  as  we  contemplate  this  scene. 
We  want  no  weeping  aloud,  nor  kissing,  nor  moving  of  the  head. 

STUDY  III. 

"  All  into  the  Valley  of  Death 
Rode9  the  Six  Hundred." 

9.  A  certain  reader  holds  his  hands  as  if  driving  a  horse.     Com- 
ment is  unnecessary. 

"  Cossack  and  Russian  reeVdl(i 
From  the  saber-stroke." 

10.  The  same  person  literally  reels. 

STUDY  IV. 

"  Four  galleons  drew  away 
From  the  Spanish  fleet  that  day, 

And  two  upon  the  larboard  and  two  upon  the  starboard  lay,1) 
And  the  battle-thunder  broke  from  them  all." 

11.  A   student   was   once   criticised    for   indicating    the   right    on 
"  larboard  "  (left),  and  the  left  on  "starboard  "  (right).    This  is  a  very 
interesting  passage.     I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  it  made  little  differ- 
ence whether  he  indicated  right  or  left.     Granting  for  the  sake  of  argu- 


DESCRIPTIVE  GESTURE.  463 

ment  that  it  was  appropriate  to  make  gestures  in  this  place,  it  was  not 
to  show  the  listeners  which  was  right  and  which  left  that  the  gestures 
were  made,  but  rather  to  show  the  predicament  of  the  vessel  with  the 
enemy  on  both  sides  of  it.  The  gestures  were  those  of  "stage  set- 
ting," and  perhaps  expressive  of  feeling,  as  the  speaker  recalled  the 
plight  of  the  brave  little  craft.  Paraphrased,  the  gestures  meant,  And 
I  can  see  that  stanch  vessel  doomed  to  disaster  as  the  four  galleons  of 
Spain  surround  it.  Hence  it  made  little  difference  whether  the  speaker 
gesticulated  with  the  right  or  left  hand  on  "  starboard."  The  audience 
knew  what  starboard  meant  ;  and  it  was  not  necessary  to  make  a  gesture 
at  all,  simply  to  define  the  word.  I  can  yet  recall  the  sarcastic  tone  of 
the  teacher  as  he  remarked,  "Mr.  Jones,  starboard  is  on  the  right,  if 
—  you  —  please."  The  criticism  showed  plainly  that  the  teacher  had 
failed  to  catch  the  spirit  of  his  pupil.  I  grant  it  would  have  been  bet- 
ter, to  avoid  such  confusion  and  petty  criticism,  to  have  indicated  the 
right  when  uttering  "  starboard,"  but  only  to  avoid  petty  criticism. 

There  are  so  many  who  pounce  upon  every  piece  of  description  as 
an  opportunity  for  gesture  that  it  is  hoped  the  preceding  discussion  will 
encourage  the  student  to  make  a  more  careful  analysis  of  the  sources 
of  his  descriptive  gesture  in  conformity  with  the  principles  discussed  in 
this  chapter. 

STUDY  V. 

"Then  Rustum  raised  his  head;  his  dreadful  eyes 
Glared,  and  he  shook  on  high  his  menacing  spear, 
And  shouted:  "Rustum!"  —  Sohrab  heard  that  shout, 
And  shrank  amazed:  back  he  recoil'd  one  step, 
And  scann'd  with  blinking  eyes  the  advancing  form  ; 
And  then  he  stood  bewildered,  and  he  dropp'd 
His  covering  shield,  and  the  spear  pierced  his  side. 
He  reel'd,  and,  staggering  back,  sank  to  the  ground."  12 

12.  The  preceding  is  an  excellent  opportunity  for  the  use  of  sym- 
pathetic gesture.  True,  there  is  an  element  of  manifestive  as  well  ;  but 
the  twro  elements  can  now  be  clearly  distinguished  by  the  student,  so 
that  we  can  study  the  sympathetic  gesture  by  itself.  Our  imagination 
recalls  so  vividly  the  attitude  of  Sohrab,  that  unconsciously  we  do  as  he 
did,  with  this  difference,  we  do  not  keep  on  blinking  as  he  did  ;  nor 
do  we  reel,  and  stagger,  and  sink  to  the  ground.  We  may  suggest 
faintly  the  stagger  and  the  general  weakness  of  the  lad,  but  that  is  all  ; 
for  the  sympathetic  gesture  soon  disappears  as  we  realize  that  the  brave 
son  is  mortally  wounded,  and  while  our  arm  may  drop  upon  the  word 
"  dropp'd  "  it  manifests  our  despair  or  horror  at  the  misfortune,  and 
not  a  desire  to  imitate  Sohrab's  action. 


464  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

The  following  extracts  include  examples  of  all  kinds  of 
descriptive  gestures,  and  should  be  regarded  also  as  studies 
in  Atmosphere. 

Through  the  whole  afternoon  there  had  been  a  tremendous  can- 
nonading of  the  fort  from  the  gunboats  and  the  land  forces  ;  the 
smooth,  regular  engineer  lines  were  broken,  and  the  fresh-sodded  em- 
bankments torn  and  roughened  by  the  unceasing  rain  of  shot  and  shell. 

About  six  o'clock  there  came  moving  up  the  island,  over  the  burn- 
ing sands  and  under  the  burning  sky,  a  stalwart,  splendid-appearing 
set  of  men,  who  looked  equal  to  any  daring,  and  capable  of  any  hero- 
ism—  men  whom  nothing  could  daunt  and  few  things  subdue. 

As  this  regiment,  the  famous  Fifty-fourth,  came  up  the  island  to 
take  its  place  at  the  head  of  the  storming-party  in  the  assault  on  Wag- 
ner, it  was  cheered  on  all  sides  by  the  white  soldiers,  who  recognized 
and  honored  the  heroism  which  it  had  already  shown,  and  of  which  it 
was  to  give  such  new  and  sublime  proof. 

The  evening,  or  rather  the  afternoon,  was  a  lurid,  sultry  one. 
Great  masses  of  clouds,  heavy  and  black,  were  piled  in  the  western 
sky,  fringed  here  and  there  by  an  angry  red,  and  torn  by  vivid  streams 
of  lightning.  Not  a  breath  of  wind  stirred  the  high,  rank  grass  by  the 
water  side ;  a  portentous  and  awful  stillness  filled  the  air  —  the  still- 
ness felt  by  nature  before  a  devastating  storm.  Quiet,  with  the  like 
awful  and  portentous  calm,  the  black  regiment,  headed  by  its  young, 
fair-haired,  knightly  colonel,  marched  to  its  destined  place  and  action. 

Here  the  men  were  addressed  in  a  few  brief  and  burning  words 
by  their  heroic  commander.  Here  they  were  besought  to  glorify  their 
whole  race  by  the  luster  of  their  deeds  ;  here  their  faces  shone  with  a 
look  which  said  :  "  Though  men,  we  are  ready  to  do  deeds,  to  achieve 
triumphs,  worthy  of  the  gods!"  here  the  word  of  command  was 
given  :  — 

"We  are  ordered  and  expected  to  take  Battery  Wagner  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet.  Are  you  ready  ?  " 

"Ay,  ay,  sir  !   ready  !"  was  the  answer. 

And  the  order  went  pealing  down  the  line  :  "  Ready  !  Close 
ranks!  Charge  bayonets  !  Forward!  Double-quick,  march  !"  —  and 
away  they  went,  under  a  scattering  fire,  in  one  compact  line  till  within 
one  hundred  feet  of  the  fort,  when  the  storm  of  death  broke  upon 
them.  Every  gun  belched  forth  its  great  shot  and  shell  ;  every  rifle 
whizzed  out  its  sharp-singing,  death-freighted  messenger.  The  men 
wavered  not  for  an  instant ;  forward  —  forward  they  went ;  plunged 


DESCRIPTIVE  GESTURE.  465 

into  the  ditch  ;  waded  through  the  deep  water,  no  longer  a  muddy  hue, 
but  stained  crimson  with  their  blood  ;  and  commenced  to  climb  the 
parapet.  The  foremost  line  fell,  and  then  the  next,  and  the  next.  On, 
over  the  piled-up  mounds  of  dead  and  dying,  of  wounded  and  slain,  to 
the  mouth  of  the  battery  ;  seizing  the  guns  ;  bayoneting  the  gunners  at 
their  posts  ;  planting  their  flag  and  struggling  around  it  ;  their  leader 
on  the  walls,  sword  in  hand,  his  blue  eyes  blazing,  his  fair  face  aflame, 
his  clear  voice  calling  out  :  "Forward,  my  brave  boys  !"  — then  plun- 
ging into  the  hell  of  battle  before  him. 

As  the  men  were  clambering  up  the  parapet,  their  color  sergeant 
was  shot  dead,  the  colors  trailing,  stained  and  wet,  in  the  dust  beside 
him.  A  nameless  hero  sprang  from  the  ranks,  seized  the  staff  from  his 
dying  hand,  and  with  it  mounted  upward.  A  ball  struck  his  right 
arm  ;  but  ere  it  could  fall  shattered  by  his  side,  his  left  hand  caught 
the  flag  and  carried  it  onward.  Even  in  the  mad  sweep  of  assault  and 
death,  the  men  around  him  found  breath  and  time  to  hurrah,  and 
those  behind  him  pressed  more  gallantly  forward  to  follow  such  a  lead. 
He  kept  his  place,  the  colors  flying  (though  faint  with  loss  of  blood 
and  wrung  with  agony),  up  the  slippery  steep,  up  to  the  walls  of  the 
fort  ;  on  the  wall  itself,  planting  the  flag  where  the  men  made  their 
brief,  splendid  stand,  and  melted  away  like  snow  before  furnace-heat. 
Here  a  bayonet  thrust  met  him  and  brought  him  down,  a  great  wound 
in  his  brave  breast,  but  he  did  not  yield  ;  dropping  to  his  knees,  press- 
ing his  unbroken  arm  upon  the  gaping  wound ;  bracing  himself 
against  a  dead  comrade  ;  the  colors  still  flew,  an  inspiration  to  the 
men  about  him,  a  defiance  to  the  foe. 

At  last,  when  the  shattered  ranks  fell  back,  sullenly  and  slowly 
retreating,  it  was  seen  by  those  who  watched  him  that  he  was  painfully 
working  his  way  downward,  still  holding  aloft  the  flag,  bent  evidently 
on  saving  it,  and  saving  it  as  flag  had  rarely,  if  ever,  been  saved  before. 

Now  and  then  he  paused  at  some  impediment ;  it  was  where 
the  dead  and  dying  were  piled  so  thickly  as  to  compel  him  to  make  a 
detour.  Now  and  then  he  rested  a  moment,  to  press  his  arm  tighter 
against  his  torn  and  open  breast. 

Slowly,  painfully,  he  dragged  himself  onward  —  step  by  step  down 
the  hill,  inch  by  inch  across  the  ground — to  the  door  of  the  hos- 
pital ;  and  then,  while  dying  eyes  brightened,  while  dying  men,  held 
back  their  souls  from  the  eternities  to  cheer  him,  gasped  out  :  "  I  did  — 
but  —  do  —  my  duty,  boys  —  and  the  dear  —  old  flag  —  never  once  — 
touched  the  ground  :"  and  then,  away  from  the  reach  and  sight  of  its 
foes,  in  the  midst  of  its  defenders,  who  loved  and  were  dying  for  it,  the 

flag  at  last  fell. 

DICKENSON,  The  Attack  on  Battery  Wagner. 


466  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

And  underneath  another  sun 
Warring  on  a  later  day, 
Round  affrighted  Lisbon  drew 
The  treble  works,  the  vast  designs 
Of  his  labor'd  rampart  lines, 
Where  he  greatly  stood  at  bay, 
Whence  he  issued  forth  anew, 
And  ever  great  and  greater  grew, 
Beating  from  the  wasted  vines 
Back  to  France  her  banded  swarms, 
Back  to  France  with  countless  blows, 
Till  o'er  the  hills  her  eagles  flew 
Beyond  the  Pyrenean  pines, 
Follow'd  up  in  valley  and  glen 
With  blare  of  bugle,  clamor  of  men, 
Roll  of  cannon  and  clash  of  arms, 
And  England  pouring  on  her  foes. 
TENNYSON,  Ode  on  the  Death  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington. 

But,  with  a  grave  mild  voice,  Sohrab  replied :  — 
"  Desire  not  that,  my  father  !  thou  must  live. 
For  some  are  born  to  do  great  deeds,  and  live, 
As  some  are  born  to  be  obscured,  and  die. 
Do  thou  the  deeds  I  die  too  young  to  do, 
And  reap  a  second  glory  in  thine  age; 
Thou  art  my  father,  and  thy  gain  is  mine. 
But  come!  thou  seest  this  great  host  of  men 
Which  follow  me;  I  pray  thee,  slay  not  these  ! 
Let  me  entreat  for  them;  what  have  they  done? 
They  follow'd  me,  my  hope,  my  fame,  my  star. 
Let  them  all  cross  the  Oxus  back  in  peace. 
But  me  thou  must  bear  hence,  not  send  with  them, 
But  carry  me  with  thee  to  Seistan, 
And  place  me  on  a  bed,  and  mourn  for  me, 
Thou,  and  the  snow-hair'd  Zal,  and  all  thy  friends, 
And  thou  must  lay  me  in  that  lovely  earth, 
And  heap  a  stately  mound  above  my  bones, 
And  plant  a  far-seen  pillar  over  all. 
That  so  the  passing  horseman  on  the  waste 
May  see  my  tomb  a  great  way  off,  and  cry: 
'  Sohrab,  the  mighty  Rustum's  son,  lies  there, 
.  Whom  his  great  father  did  in  ignorance  kill .' 

And  I  be  not  forgotten  in  my  grave.'  "  13 

M.  ARNOLD,  Sohrab  and  Rustum. 

13.    The  student  should  know  that  Sohrab  is  lying  wounded  unto 
death  throughout  this  entire  speech,  and  that  hence  what  "the  passing 


DESCRIPTIVE  GESTURE.  467 

horseman  "  will  be  represented  as  saying  must  be  uttered  in  the  char- 
acter of  Sohrab. 

Then  quickly  rose  Sir  Bedivere,  and  ran, 
And,  leaping  down  the  ridges,  lightly,  plunged 
Among  the  bulrush  beds,  and  clutch'd  the  sword, 
And  strongly  wheel'd  and  threw  it.     The  great  brand 
Made  lightnings  in  the  splendor  of  the  moon, 
And  flashing  round  and  round,  and  whirl'd  in  an  arch, 
Shot  like  a  streamer  of  the  northern  morn, 
Seen  where  the  moving  isles  of  winter  shock 
By  night,  with  noises  of  the  Northern  Sea. 
So  flash'd  and  fell  the  brand  Excalibur  : 
But  ere  he  dipt  the  surface,  rose  an  arm 
Clothed  in  white  samite,  mystic,  wonderful, 
And  caught  him  by  the  hilt,  and  brandish'd  him 
Three  times,  and  drew  him  under  in  the  mere. 

Thereat,  once  more  he  moved  about,  and  clomb 
Ev'n  to  the  highest  he  could  climb,  and  saw, 
Straining  his  eyes  beneath  an  arch  of  hand, 
Or  thought  he  saw,  the  speck  that  bare  the  King,, 
Down  that  long  water  opening  on  the  deep 
Somewhere  far  off,  pass  on  and  on,  and  go 
From  less  to  less  and  vanish  into  light. 
And  the  new  sun  rose  bringing  the  new  year. 

TENNYSON,  The  Passing  of  Arthw 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

PREPARATION    OF    RECITATIONS. 

THE  student  has  observed  that  the  method  adopted  in 
this  work  has  been,  first,  through  careful  analysis  of  the 
text,  to  develop  his  powers  of  discrimination ;  second,  to 
teach  him  to  rely  upon  natural  instincts  and  impulses  for 
proper  expression ;  third,  to  make  clear  that  to  a  very 
great  extent  this  process  will  develop  range,  power,  flexi- 
bility, and  quality  of  voice ;  and  fourth,  he  has  been 
shown  the  relation  between  Recitation  and  Literature.  It 
must  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  there  is  another 
aspect  of  this  work.  Recitai^un  of  one's  own  compositions 
or  those  of  another  is  an  art,  and  this  phase  of  the  study 
is  to  be  touched  upon  in  this  chapter. 

The  theory  underlying  the  present  method  differs  from 
most  of  those  heretofore  in  vogue,  and  many  still  followed, 
in  that  it  endeavors  to  develop  powers  of  expression  through 
the  power  of  feeling.  Since  recitation  makes  use  of  in- 
flections and  melodies,  fast  time  and  slow  time,  high  pitch 
and  low  pitch,  this  quality  and  that,  therefore  most  pre- 
vious methods  began  with  a  mechanical  study  of  these 
elements.  This  was  only  in  a  very  limited  degree  educa- 
tional, and  simply  gave  the  pupil  the  power  to  execute 
certain  mechanical  exercises,  often  leaving  undeveloped 
the  intellect,  the  imagination,  and  the  emotions.  But  even 
when  the  student  has  developed  these  powers  of  mind, 

468 


PREPARATION   OF  RECITATIONS.  469 

he  cannot  attain  artistic  effects  without  a  knowledge  of 
how  to  use  the  technique  of  his  art.1  He  must  study  art 
in  general  and  literary  art  in  particular  before  he  can 
attain  to  this  knowledge.  The  point  is,  in  what  way  can 
he  best  bring  out  the  conception  of  the  author.  He  must 
understand  the  manner  in  which  thoughts  are  apprehended 
by  an  audience ;  and  the  following  hints  are  given  to  him 
as  guides  for  future  use.  There  are  two  things  to  be 
done :  first,  to  discover  the  significant  detail ;  and  second, 
to  determine  how  to  present  that  detail. 

As  already  stated,  recitation  is  a  reproductive  art ;  it 
reproduces  literature.  Hence  it  is  necessary  first  to  appre- 
hend thoroughly  the  selection  with  which  one  is  to  deal. 
By  analysis  and  reflection  one  has  conceived  the  meaning 
of  his  recitation,  both  as  a  whole  and  in  parts ;  and  his 
purpose  now  should  be  to  determine  how  the  effects  of 
literary  art  may  best  be  translated  into  the  effects  of 
lecitational  art.  Through  Tinie,  P|tc,h,  Force,  and  Qual- 
ity. .oi-J^oice,-  and, through  Action,  all  effects  must  be  ren- 
dered. As  far  as  the  purpose  of  this  book  permits,  the 
meaning  and  use  of  these  elements  have  been  explained. 
It  remains  now  to  warn  the  student  that  all  the  knowl- 
edge of  technique  and  all  mere  technical  ability  is  of  no 
avail  unless  he  has  first  mastered  his  selection  as  literature, 
and  second,  knows  where  to  use  his  technique.  There  are 
hundreds  who  have  excellent  technique,  but  who  fail  as 

i  A  great  deal  of  what  seems  to  be  unnecessary  confusion  exists  regarding  the 
meaning  of  this  term.  It  is  used  very  freely  to  mean  not  only  mechanical  facility, 
but  also  that  facility  plus  the  knowledge  of  where  to  use  it,  a  meaning  which  leads 
to  confusion.  Technique  is  "  a  collective  term  for  all  that  relates  to  the  purely 
mechanical  part  of  either  vocal  or  instrumental  performance.  The  technique  of  a 
performer  may  be  perfect,  and  yet  his  playing  .  .  .  fail  to  interpret  intelligibly  the 
ideas  of  the  composer."  These  words  from  the  Century  Dictionary  ought  to  settle 
this  misunderstanding  effectually. 


470  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

artists  for  one  or  both  of  two  reasons :  either  through  lack 
of  literary  appreciation,  or  a  failure  to  use  the  right  form 
of  expression  at  the  right  time.  The  student  is  reminded 
that  this  entire  volume  is  written  with  the  object  of  assist- 
ing him  to  a  higher  and  keener  literary  insight ;  and  he 
must  bear  in  mind  that  only  a  hint  can  be  added  in  this 
place  towards  helping  his  artistic  rendition.  );$  pace  re- 
mains for  only  one  example  of  the  significant  detail  in  lit- 
erature and  its  artistic  rendering;  but  it  is  typical,  and 
may  therefore,  prove  helpful. 

The  opening  lines  of  King  Robert  of  Sicily  afford  a 
good  illustration  of  a  very  common  feature  in  recitation. 
The  student  will  note  that  the  sentence  is  so  arranged  as 
to  defer  the  adverb  until  near  the  end,  and  then  it  is  put 
in  most  significant  juxtaposition  to  the  word  "vespers.'' 
Pride  and  the  spiritual  condition  implied  by  the  reference 
to  vespers  are  mutually  exclusive.  No  more  striking 
device  could  have  been  made  use  of  by  the  author  than 
this  to  manifest  the  arrogance  of  the  king.  The  climax 
of  the  sentence  is  reached  in  the  words,  "  at  vespers, 
proudly  sat,"  and  from  there  the  melody  steadily  declines 
to  the  period.  In  other  words,  the  melody  gradually  rises 
to  "  vespers,"  reaches  its  apex  on  "  proudly,"  and  its 
descent  thereafter  leaves  the  "vespers"  and  "proudly" 
on  the  crest  of  the  melodic  wave.  It  can  readily  be  seen 
that  if  these  two  words  are  slurred,  the  most  significant 
point  in  the  introduction  is  thereby  lost  sight  of.  Again, 
the  concluding  lines  of  the  first  section  of  this  poem 
offer  another  example.  If  the  reader  gives  simply  the 
idea  that  King  Robert  yawned  a'nd  fell  asleep,  he  will,  in 
all  probability,  give  the  "yawned"  with  comparatively 
little  effect ;  but  when  we  discern  that  this  couplet  is  the 


PREPARATION   OF  RECITATION.  471 

climax  of  the  act,  the  rendition  is  at  once  affected.  King 
Robert  desires  by  his  act  to  convey  his  utter  contempt  for 
religion  and  for  God,  and  his  act  is  boldly  defiant  to  the 
will  of  God.  Hence,  the  rendering  of  the  lines  will  be 
slow  and  imposing,  and  will  state  in  effect,  And  the  proud 
monarch,  arrogant,  overbearing,  self-sufficient,  with  the 
words  of  God's  solemn  warning  ringing  in  his  ears,  showed 
his  utter  contempt  for  religion  by  yawning  and  falling 
asleep.  If  these  two  lines  are  not  meant  as  a  climax, 
the  author  would  have  had  too  much  good  sense  to  insert 
them  where  he  did.  They  present  Robert's  crowning  act 
of  defiance. 

The  study  of  emotion  has  taught  the  reader  how  care- 
ful he  must  be  not  to  let  his  temperament  mar  the  repre- 
sentation of  his  characters.  He  must  be  constantly  on 
his  guard  lest  he  destroy  the  reading  through  a  failure 
to  regard  this  vital  admonition. 

Again,  he  must  consecrate  himself  to  his  art.  Let 
neither  policy  nor  vainglory  lead  him  ever  to  sacrifice  his 
author  for  effect.  Many  aspirants  who  have  failed  bear 
testimony  to  the  inevitable  result  that  follows  a  striving 
after  effect  for  effect's  sake. 

As  to  the  manner  in  which  the  important  ideas  will 
be  brought  out,  —  whether  by  pitch  or  force  or  time  or 
_jpiality,  —  the  student  must  determine  according  to  the 
principles  laid  down  in  this  book.  Let  him  read  his  lines 
carefully,  and  let  his  ear  judge  whether  the  voice  is  cor- 
rectly representing  his  intention.  After  that  let  him  as- 
sociate the  expression  with  the  words  until  the  proper 
expression  becomes  a  part  of  his  thinking.  The  author's 
own  method  is  first  to  make  a  careful  analysis  of  the 
text,  including  the  thought,  emotion,  and  character  01 


472  MENTAL    TECHNIQUE. 

characters.  Out  of  this  study  comes  a  knowledge  of  the 
proportions.  Then  he  reads  his  lines,  paying  no  regard 
whatsoever  to  form,  and  yet  observing  carefully  that  form 
after  its  manifestation.  Looking  at  it  in  retrospect,  so  to 
speak,  his  knowledge  of  what  the  various  forms  convey 
are  his  touchstone,  and  if  the  form  is  satisfactory,  it  is 
practiced  until  it  becomes  habit.  If  it  is  not,  he  reads  the 
passage  again  and  again,  until  the  rendition  is  as  good  as 
he  can  make  it,  and  then  fixes  it  as  mentioned  before. 

The  reader  must  bear  in  mind  the  limitation  of  the 
medium  in  which  he  works.  He  cannot  sit  down  as 
Brutus  and  stand  as  CassiuL  in  the  same  scene.  He  can 
not,  except  in  burlesque,  pitch  his  voice  at  the  top  of  the 
gamut  to  represent  a  woman,  without  losing  the  ability  to 
represent  the  deep  and  tender  emotions.  The  same  ad- 
monition is  given  to  women  reading  men's  parts.  All 
that  has  been  said  concerning  Principality,  Contrast,  Cli- 
max, Subordination,  and  so  forth,  applies  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  selections  ;  and  the  only  advice  one  can  give  a 
student  is  that  he  endeavor  honestly  to  represent  his  au- 
thor, and  then  ask  a  discerning,  candid  critic  to  show  him 
his  faults. 

X  Summarizing,  I  should  say,  let  the  reader,  after  he  has 
studied  the  text,  abandon  himself  to  his  selection.  Then 
let  art  pass  judgment  on  the  instinct,  and  finally  let  there 
l)e  such  careful  practice  as  shall  make  correct  artistic  ren- 
dition a  second  nature.  \ 

Last  of  all,  we  must  get  an  answer  to  the  question, 
How  is  it  possible  to  render  an  emotion  one  has  never 
felt?  The  answer  is,  We  cannot.  In  some  way  most  of 
us  have  experienced  the  gamut  of  emotions ;  and  the  prob- 
lem is  to  combine  these  experiences  in  a  new  way,  or 


PREPARATION   OF   RECITATION.  473 

sometimes  merely  to  increase  their  intensity.  To  illus- 
trate, one  may  never  have  felt  the  loathing  that  Shylock 
bears  Antonio;  but  have  we  not  all  loathed  something? 
The  reader  needs  only  to  call  up  the  conception  of  loath- 
ing, and  he  can  express  it.  It  should  not  be  forgotten, 
however,  that  in  the  particular  case  of  Shylock  it  is  his 
loathing,  not  ours,  we  must  represent. 

The  whole  problem  respecting  emotion  is  summed  up 
in  the  above  illustration.  It  is  always  a  question  of  call- 
ing np  past  experiences,  and  applying  them  to  the  particu- 
lar case  in  point.  How  this  is  done  has  been  discussed 
under  the  study  of  Emotion. 

/ 

Throughout  this  section  of  the  work,  the  author  has 

felt  the  exceeding  difficulty  OL  his  task.  It  is  a  delicate 
matter  to  describe  how  a  ce  y^in  line  should  be  read,  or 
how  a  certain  gesture  should  be  made.  The  least  false 
note  may  destroy  the  entire  interpretation.  But  he  has 
this  satisfaction,  that  no  one  writing  upon  an  art  subject 
has  ever  been  more  than  suggestive,  and  for  those  who 
have  no  literary  or  artistic  taste  all  endeavor  to  inculcate 
artistic  principles  through  the  printed  page  alone  must 
prove  a  failure.  But  he  hopes  that  for  those  who  have 
the  germ  of  this,  there  may  be  sufficient  suggestion  to 
inspire  them  to  a  higher  conception  of  art  and  aesthetic 
expression. 


INDEX   TO   SUBJECTS. 


Abdominal  Muscles,  201-204. 

Action,  suited  to  different  types,  28,  29. 

Additional  meaning  implied  by  tone,  3. 

Affirmation  with  incompleteness,  71,  72, 
234  ;  inflection  of,  72. 

Anticipation,  55,  227  ;  slide  of,  5G. 

Antony's  Funeral  Oration  analyzed,  31, 
32,  432. 

Arm  Movements,  173,  174. 

Art,  Recitation  as,  31G. 

Articulating  Organs,  197-201 ;  lips,  198 ; 
tongue,  198. 

Artistic  Study  of  voice,  184,  185. 

Assertion,  6G  ;  inflection  of,  75,  76 ;  para- 
phrase for,  G7. 

Assumption,  G6  ;  paraphrase  for,  G7. 

Atmosphere,  discussed,  345  ;  of  dignity, 
345  ;  of  joy  and  fear,  34G  ;  of  sympathy, 
351  ;  studies  in,  352  ;  Descriptive  Ges- 
ture studied  in  connection  with,  464. 

Bible,  passages  illustrating  types  of  ut- 
terance, 32, 33  ;  formulation,  cases  of, 
40,  41  ;  grouping,  46,  47 ;  discrimina- 
tive relations,  76-78  ;  emotion,  98  ; 
volition,  115  ;  musical  properties, 
158,  159. 

Breathing,  slow  and  fast,  176. 

Cadence,  False,  237. 

Central  Idea,  237;  studies  in,  239;  en- 
hanced by  climax,  325. 

Chain  of  reasoning,  38. 

Chart,  vocal,  170,  171. 

Chest,  office  in  vocalization,  172-185  ;  ex- 
pansion of,  174-176. 

Chords,  vocal,  194-197. 

Chromatic  intervals,  143. 


Circumflexes,  falling,  70 ;  rising,  72 ; 
wave,  71. 

Climax,  definition  of,  368 ;  of  signifi- 
cance, 368  ;  of  intensity,  369 ;  difficult 
and  complex  forms  of,  3G9  ;  gradation 
considered  in  connection  with,  371  ; 
artistic,  373. 

Color,  exponent  of  emotion,  29,  80. 

Comparison  or  Contrast,  with  affirma- 
tion, 70, 233  ;  inflection  of,  70,  71  ;  with 
incompleteness,  71,  234. 

Completeness  of  thought,  50 ;  para- 
phrase for,  56. 

Complex  relations,  70-74 ;  paraphrase 
for,  72. 

Comprehensive  thought,  38. 

Conclusive  thought,  39. 

Condition,  55. 

Continuative  falling  slide,  75. 

Contrast,  law  of,  325  ;  illustrations  of, 
359  ;  kinds  of,  359. 

Conversational  manner,  272. 

Counting,  177. 

Criticism,  160-166  ;  popular,  161 ;  techni- 
cal or  scholarly,  161 ;  objective  prop- 
erties of,  164 ;  subjective  properties 
of,  164  ;  purpose  as  related  to,  166 ; 
paraphrase  as  related  to,  166. 

Degrees  of  Pitch  in  inflection,  75. 

Delivery,  objective  properties  of,  164 ; 
subjective  properties  of,  164, 165. 

Descriptive  Gesture  defined,  452 :  stud- 
ied in  connection  with  atmosphere, 
464  ;  kinds  of,  454. 

Diagram,  for  finality,  52;  for  complex 
relations,  73  ;  for  melody,  144. 

Diatonic  intervals,  small,  143;  large,  143. 


475 


476 


INDEX   TO   SUBJECTS. 


Discrimination,  denned,  49;  action  suited 
to,  28  ;  relation  to  breathing,  181  ;  vo- 
cal means  of  expression,  50 ;  studies 
in,  224. 

Diversion,  378. 

Doubt,  61, 231  ;  inflection,  G2 ;  paraphrase 
for,  62. 

Ear,  limited  receiving  capacity,  3. 

Earnestness,  253. 

Elevated  Feeling,  276 ;  how  to  develop, 
277 ;  exercises,  278. 

Elocution,  denned,  2  ;  relation  to 
thought,  2-4. 

Emphasis,  defined,  238. 

Emotion,  action  suited  to,  29  :  relations 
of,  79 ;  means  of  expression,  80 ;  rela- 
tion to  breathing,  181 ;  studies  in,  253 j 
complexity  in,  261  ;  earnestness  a 
form  of,  253;  personation  and,  259; 
relation  of  experience  to,  472. 

Expansion,  of  chest,  174-176 ;  symmetri- 
cal, 176. 

Expression,  complexity  of,  260. 

Feeling,  normal,  81,  272  ;  elevated,  83, 
276;  suppressed,  86,  285;  oppressed, 
or  covered,  88,  291 ;  stern,  severe,  or 
harsh,  90,  287 ;  paraphrase  for,  92  ; 
agitated,  93,  293  ;  paraphrase  for,  96. 

Finality,  50,  224. 

Force,  exponent  of  volition,  29. 

Formulation,  cases  of,  34  ;  action  suited 
to,  28;  relation  to  breathing,  178; 
vocal  means  of  expression,  28 ;  studies 
in,  209 ;  Movement  and  Pause,  two 
elements  of,  223. 

Generalized  thought,  38. 
Gesture  (see  Descriptive  Gesture). 
Gradation,  considered,  373. 
Grouping,  General  principles,  42-47, 216  ; 
independent  of  punctuation,  217. 

Hendiadys,  43. 

Incompleteness,  grammatical  and  for- 
mal, 54-60  ;  paraphrase  for,  56:  indi- 
rect and  inferential  forms  of,  60-66. 

Individuality  in  expression,  162. 


Inflection,  definition  and  uses,  50 ;  of 
momentary  completeness,  52  ;  of  sub- 
ordination, 54;  of  anticipation,  56; 
of  negation,  61  ;  of  supplication,  64  ; 
of  degrees  of  pitch,  75  ;  of  assertion, 
75 ;  of  comparison  or  contrast  with 
affirmation,  70  ;  of  comparison  or  con- 
trast with  incompleteness,  71 ;  of  affir- 
mation with  incompleteness,  71. 

Interlude,  psychology  of,  380. 

Interpretation,  office  in  reading,  9. 

Interrogation,  62 ;  inflection  of,  63  ;  para- 
phrase for,  63  ;  direct,  232  ;  figurative, 
232. 

Intervals,  in  Melody,  143 ;  small  diatonic, 
143 ;  large  diatonic,  143 ;  chromatic, 
143  ;  minor,  143  ;  unusual,  143. 

Introduction,  34-37 ;  explanatory,  35 ; 
adaptive,  35  ;  conciliatory,  36  ;  incen- 
tive, 36  ;  movement,  37. 

Inversion  as  a  test  of  assertive  emphasis, 
67. 

Jaw,  uses  and  exercises,  188-191. 

Keys,  139  ;  of  different  voices,  142. 
King  Robert  of  Sicily,  415. 

Lip, 198. 

Literary  Analysis,  examples  of,  408 ; 
King  Robert  of  Sicily,  415  ;  Mark  An- 
tony's Funeral  Oration,  432. 

Literary  Art,  principles  of,  324. 

Literature,  relation  of,  to  recitation, 
324  ;  two  elements  of,  386 ;  analyzed, 
386  ;  King  Robert  of  Sicily,  analyzed, 
415;  Mark  Antony's  Funeral  Ora- 
tion, analyzed,  432  ;  relation  between 
recitation  and,  468;  recitation  repro- 
duces, 469. 

Loose  Structure,  51. 

Melody,  139;  intervals  in,  143;  trend  of, 
143  ;  diagramming,  144  ;  illustrations 
from  music,  147-151  ;  illustrated  by 
the  Erl-King,  151-154. 

Minor  intervals,  143. 

Modifications  of  thought  by  intonation, 
3,4. 

Momentary  Completeness,  50 ;  slide  of, 
52 ;  drills  in,  244  ;  optional,  228 ;  pre- 
ponderance of,  229. 


INDEX   TO   SUBJECTS. 


477 


Movement,  30,  117  ;  slow,  118,  209  ;  fast, 
119,  212  ;  relation  of,  to  types  of  utter- 
ance, 120, 121 ;  law  of,  325  ;  discussed, 
336  ;  typical  examples  of,  214. 

Musical  properties  of  speech,  116-159. 

Negative  or  Non-affirmative  statement, 
GO,  230  ;  slide  of,  Gl ;  paraphrase  for, 
61. 

Objective  vs.   subjective  paraphrasing, 

99  ;  in  criticism,  164,  1G5. 
Onomatopoeia,  387. 
Oppressed,  or  covered  feeling,  291. 
Oral  cavity,  192-194. 
Overtones,  154. 

Pantomimic  Expression  must  precede 
•  vocal,  80,  91  ;  of  normal  feeling,  82; 
of  elevated  feeling,  83  ;  of  suppressed  ' 
feeling,  86 ;  of  oppressed  feeling,  90  ; 
of  harsh  feeling,  91  ;  of  agitated  feel- 
ing, 94 ;  of  abrupt  volition,  104 ;  of 
insistent  volition,  104 ;  of  uplifting 
volition,  107  ;  of  volition  of  establish- 
ment, 110 ;  of  volition  of  violence, 
112. 

Paraphrase,  for  expression,  9  ;  objective, 
12  ;  subjective,  12  ;  expansive,  13  ;  el- 
liptical, 16  ;  condensative,  17  ;  pro- 
saic, 19 ;  to  reve'al  completeness  or 
incompleteness,  5G ;  to  reveal  nega- 
tion, 61;  for  supplication,  65;  for 
assertion  and  assumption,  67;  for 
complex  relations,  72  ;  for  suppressed 
feeling,  88  ;  for  harsh  feeling,  92  ;  for 
agitated  feeling,  9f»  ;  for  volition,  99, 
111,  113,  115;  as  related  to  criticism, 
160. 

Pause,  The,  as  an  expressive  element, 
219  ;  relat'on  of  emotion  to,  221. 

Pauses,  42;  grammatical,  43  ;  rhetorical. 
4.'*>;  prosodial,  44  ;  euphonic,  44. 

Periodic  structure,  56. 

Personation,  259. 

Phases,  studies  in,  403. 

Phrasing  (see  Grouping). 

Physiology,  relations  to  expression,  6,  8. 

Pitch,  exponent  of  discrimination,  29, 
50,  237. 

Poise,  necessary  for  normal  quality,  83  ; 
definitions  and  exercises,  173. 


Principality,  law  of,  325 ;  discussed,  331 ; 
and  Subordination,  studies  in,  338. 

Propagation  of  tone,  172. 

Proportion,  in  recitation,  329. 

Proposition,  37-39,  formal,  37;  defini- 
tive, 38 ;  weighty,  38. 

Psychology,  relations  to  expression,  1-7. 

Purpose,  relation  to  expression,  27 ; 
formulative,  28;  discriminative,  28; 
emotional,  29 ;  volitional,  29 ;  final 
and  immediate  as  governing  analysis, 
30;  general  and  special,  30;  manifes- 
tations of,  161 ;  formation  of,  161  ;  as 
related  to  criticism,  16G. 

Quality,  exponent  of  emotion,  29,  80 ; 
definition  of,  80  ;  pure,  82  ;  expanded 
pure,  83  ;  aspirated,  87  ;  pectoral,  90 ; 
rigid  or  tense,  91  ;  tremulous,  94  ;  as 
special  property,  154  ;  as  dependent 
upon  overtones,  154 ;  practical  study 
of,  82,  83. 

Recitation  as  art,  316 ;  relation  of  lit- 
erature to,  324,  468 ;  preparation  of, 
468  ;  a  reproductive  art,  469. 

Relation  between  manner  and  matter, 
5. 

Repetition  discussed,  380. 

Rhetoric,  relations  to  expression,  1-7. 

Rhythm  of  speech,  121-139;  poetic,  122- 
125;  prose,  125-139;  abrupt,  126;  in- 
sistent, 128 ;  gliding,  128 ;  weighty, 
129  ;  example  analyzed,  133  ;  poetic 
feet  in  hymns,  158,  159. 

Sequences  of  dominant  types,  30. 

Slide,  falling,  52 ;  of  momentary  com- 
pleteness, 52  :  of  subordination,  54; 
of  anticipation,  56  :  of  negation,  61. 

Stern,  Severe,  or  Harsli  Feeling,  exam- 
ples of,  287. 

Stress,  defined,  29;  initial,  104;  final, 
107,  305  ;  median,  109  ;  thorough,  111; 
compound  112  (see  also  Volition). 

Style,  reaction  of  expression  upon,  3. 

Subjective  vs.  objective  paraphrasing, 
99. 

Subordination,  54,  22G ;  slide  of,  54  ; 
phases  of,  247;  discussed,  332;  de- 
grees of,  251. 

Substitution  of  poetic  feet,  158, 159. 


478 


INDEX   TO   SUBJECTS. 


Supplication,  64,  233 ;   paraphrase  for, 

65 ;  inflection  of  66. 
Suppressed  Feeling,  examples  of,  285. 
.Suspense,  56. 

Technique  of  expression  denned,  6  ; 
vocal,  167-206  ;  use  of,  319. 

Textures,  relation  to  emotion,  80. 

"  That"  and  "  Which,"  53. 

Thought  through  tone,  1,  2. 

Thought  weakened,  3 ;  subjective  rela- 
tion of  speaker,  4. 

Throat,  offices  and  exercises,  185-188. 

Time,  exponent  in  formulation,  28. 

Tone-color  a  phase  of  literary  art,  385  ; 
denned,  387  ;  illustrations  of,  390. 

Tongue  exercises,  191,  198. 

Transition,  39,  40,  41  ;  examples  of,  396 ; 
emotional,  400. 

Type  of  Utterance  denned,  27  ;  sequence 
of,  30 ;  adaptation  of  elements  of  vo- 
cality  to,  178-184. 


Unity  tested  by  condensative  para- 
phrase, 19  ;  defined,  324  ;  illustrated, 
326  ;  relation  of  proportion  to,  329. 

Unusual  intervals,  143. 

Vocal  Chart,  170,  171. 

Vocal  Chords,  194-197. 

Vocal  technique,  167-206. 

Volition  denned,  99  ;  action  suited  to, 
29;  paraphrase  for,  99,  111,  113; 
abrupt,  102,  296  ;  insistent,  104,  304  ; 
uplifting,  107 ;  of  establishment,  110, 
313;  of  violence,  112,314;  relation  to 
breathing,  183 ;  vocal  means  of  ex- 
pression, 29  ;  studies  in,  296  ;  energy 
of  uplift,  309. 

Wave,  71. 

'  «  Which  "  and  "  That,"  53. 
Will,  relation  to  expression,  31 ;   rela- 
tion to  volition,  99. 


FOURTEEN  DAY  USE 

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This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 
on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 

JOJan'56j/J- 

DEC  2  8  1955  LU 

9Jun'60BB 

REC'D  LD 

1      JUN8    1950 

1              ^^ 

REC'D  LD 

JUL  ?.  1  1.QR3 

LD  21-100m-2,'55 
(B139s22)476 


University  of  California 
Berkeley 


01932 


